FAA Warns: Popular Travel Gadgets Pose Safety Risks

The FAA has established a detailed plan for the safety of lithium batteries

The FAA’s memo highlighted that conventional firefighting techniques may be insufficient during a “thermal runaway event.” The agency advised utilizing large quantities of water to “cool the battery and extinguish flames.” Additionally, the plan outlined several other safety protocols.

The suggested precautions included:

• “Implement a risk management process to identify all potential hazards and apply risk mitigations when transporting lithium batteries.”
• “Assess lithium battery firefighting protocols, procedures, and training.”
• “Evaluate passenger safety communications, including websites, alert systems, cabin announcements, and safety videos.”

Flight Attendant Richard Henderson — who also contributes to Two Guys on a Plane — stated to USA Today: “Every aviation regulation stems from an incident. Clearly, this is becoming increasingly perilous as more devices are brought onboard.”