![]() “Devices containing lithium metal batteries or lithium ion batteries, including – but not limited to – smartphones, tablets, cameras and laptops, should be kept in carry-on baggage. “Lithium batteries, which power everyday devices, can catch fire if damaged or if battery terminals are short-circuited,” according to the FAA. These fire-containment bags are capable of sealing up an overheating battery-operated device to prevent a midair disaster. The term “runaway thermal event” appears frequently in these reports, referring to a phenomenon where the battery enters an uncontrollable, self-heating state.Īnother frequently appearing term is “thermal containment bag,” an item that only became commonplace on airplanes in 2016 following a number of explosions of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. ![]() The flight was diverted and the aircraft was taken out of service due to the smoke in the cabin. The power bank was secured in a containment bag by airline personnel. “A passenger’s portable power bank began to smoke and burn inside of a purse that was placed under the seat. Yet some incidents result in flight disruptions, like a Southwest Airlines flight on August 26, 2022. The flight continued without further incident.” Flight crew personnel were notified and submerged the device in a Thermal Containment Bag with water. The device was reportedly not in use at the time it began to overheat. Regarding an American Airlines flight on August 17 last year, the agency reported, “A passenger's vape pen began overheating in the cabin during a flight to Philadelphia. Flight attendants were notified and secured the power bank in a Thermal Containment Bag,” according to the FAA’s report of that incident. “Prior to departure a passenger's lithium battery power bank started to overheat and smoke. ![]() Most of these incidents were caught early and resulted only in a short flight delay, such as the United Airlines flight on August 29, 2022. And for several dates last year, the FAA recorded more than one incident in a single day. ![]() In 2014, for example, the FAA reported only nine lithium battery incidents all year.Ĭompare that to last year, when nine lithium-battery incidents were reported in each of three months: May, July and August. As more personal devices are powered by lithium-ion batteries, the number of these incidents has risen sharply over the past decade. ![]()
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