There are big concerns for airlines when it comes to battery-powered devices that travelers are taking both on-board and putting in their checked luggage. Nearly three dozen airlines participated in a safety related survey/reporting program and contributed data.
The new report found that incidents rose by 28% from 2019 to 2013, with the No. 1 culprit being e-cigarettes.
The report indicates that in 60% of the cases, the overheating took place near the passenger who brought the problem device on board.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows e-cigarettes, phone charges and power banks with lithium-ion batteries in carry-on bags but prohibits them in checked baggage. Fires in the cargo bay of a plane are supposedly harder to detect.
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The report from The Associated Press cited two examples of the dangers of such batteries on-board a flight. One flight to Orlando last year was forced to make an emergency landing in Jacksonville due a battery fire in the overhead bin.
Additionally, just a couple of months ago, a smoking laptop in a passenger’s bag forced the evacuation of a plane in San Francisco.
Despite the apparent increased dangers, the report notes that about one-third of travelers are not concerned about the risks.
