EASA issues safety bulletin on lithium battery risks in air travel

Travel Daily News

6 days ago

EASA warns airlines to reinforce passenger communication on lithium battery risks, emphasizing correct handling, storage, and in-flight precautions.
COLOGNE – The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published a new Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) highlighting the risks to safe air travel which can posed by lithium batteries. The SIB was issued in response to an increased number of safety events involving lithium batteries carried by passengers on board commercial passenger aircraft. This SIB compiles and updates relevant information from other SIBs on lithium batteries, which have been withdrawn.
An SIB can be addressed to the airline industry, in this case primarily airlines and other aircraft operators, and highlights a specific new or evolving safety issue. This SIB calls on airlines to extend and reinforce their existing communication to passengers on the restrictions related to lithium battery transport and appeals for the correct behaviours to mitigate the risks. It also reminds of the mandate to train airline and airport staff on the associated risks and to properly communicate dangerous good restrictions to the passengers.
'Smart phones and computers powered by lithium batteries are now an inherent part of our daily lives, and we know that each passenger now takes four to five such items with them on a flight,' said Jesper Rasmussen, Flight Standards Director at EASA. 'Airlines and their ground staff need to make sure passengers know how to travel with these items responsibly. This includes prompting them to think carefully about not packing the devices in their check-in baggage but carrying them on board instead, so that they can be monitored and dealt with if something happens.'
Portable electronic devices (PEDs) powered by lithium batteries include a wide range of everyday items, from mobile phones to laptops, and tools (e.g. drill) to drones. Some PEDs, for example scooters, hoverboards, and certain types of drones, are equipped with powerful lithium batteries that are not allowed under the current regulations. Power banks are not classified as PEDs but as spare batteries, and must follow the restrictions that apply to them.
Lithium batteries present a safety risk if, for example, they malfunction, there is a mechanical rupture, a short circuit, or they are exposed to heat. The substances contained in the battery then react in an uncontrolled way, rather than gradually releasing their chemical energy in form of current, which is the expected behaviour of a battery. Lithium batteries can overheat, catch fire, and/or release toxic smoke.
E-cigarettes and power banks are seen as particularly dangerous. They are both forbidden in checked-in luggage, same as spare batteries. Charging e-cigarettes is strictly forbidden. Due to the risk that they pose, power banks should also not be charged or used to charge other items during the flight. In general, batteries with a lower charge pose a lower risk, so it is preferable to carry such items on board at a lower state of charge, and fully charge them again on arrival.
The EASA SIB intends to create passenger awareness on the risks posed by PEDs, e-cigarettes, power banks, and other lithium batteries by highlighting the importance of communicating this information to the passengers. It further draws special attention to training ground staff and cabin crews on all aspects of lithium battery risks, including dealing with an overheating battery in-flight, to ensure containment of any fire and mitigate the safety threats.
Key points for passenger communication
The EASA SIB emphasises the following crucial points for communicating to passengers:
E-cigarettes and power banks should be carried where they can be monitored (on the person). If not possible, they must be in carry-on baggage and protected in the same way as described below for spare batteries.
PEDs should only be charged through the on-board power supply systems and should be monitored at all times by the passenger. Power banks should not be used to charge PEDs during the flight.
When not in use during the flight, PEDs should be protected against damage and unintentional activation.
The limitation in watt-hours (Wh) for each PED is 100 Wh and, only with the operator's approval, 160 Wh. The communication should include examples of commonly used devices.
Spare batteries, including power banks, and e-cigarettes, when packed in carry-on baggage, should be protected from short circuit (e.g. by carrying them in their original packaging, taping their terminals, and putting them inside a plastic bag or box). They should also be protected from unintentional activation as well as stowed as far as possible within the bag from any other battery and/or potentially flammable item (e.g. perfume). Whereas charging e-cigarettes is forbidden, using or charging power banks is not forbidden but strongly discouraged.
Aircraft operators and ground handling service providers should also make passengers aware of the risks caused by PEDs being short-circuited, damaged or caught in the movable part(s) of a seat.