A decision on whether to ban all shipments of rechargeable lithium batteries from cargo holds of passenger airliners will be made by a panel of international safety experts this month.
If the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) air navigation commission’s recommendation is implemented it will come as a major blow to the operations of the lithium-ion industry.
However, it was the belief of David Brennan, Assistant Director, Cargo Safety and Standards IATA, that the ban had come in with immediate effect when he addressed delegates at the European AABC meeting last week.
A glimmer of hope was sounded, however, with the ICAO agreeing the proposed ban be lifted if a new type of packaging is developed that provides an acceptable level of safety— for example Boeing has switched from casing lithium-ion batteries in aluminum boxes to steel. More on that story here.
Anthony Philbin, Chief, Communications Office of the Secretary General ICAO, said: “What we can confirm for now is that the Air Navigation Commission’s recommendation to the Council pertains to a prohibition of lithium-ion batteries shipped as cargo on passenger aircraft, and not to those contained in personal electronic devices carried by passengers or crew.
“We can also confirm that the ANC recommendation is the second-to-last step in ICAO’s overall review process on this issue, following on earlier assessments undertaken through our Dangerous Goods, Flight Operations, and Airworthiness panels.
“The final decision on this matter will be made by ICAO’s 36 State Governing Council at its next session, most likely during the last week of February.”
Last November we reported how the International Air Transport Association called for manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries guarantee their cells and packs are charged to no more than 30% state of charge when shipped by air. Click here to read the article.
Meanwhile, China Southern Airways joined the growing number of Chinese airlines to ban hoverboards on its planes.
So far Air China, China Eastern and China Airlines have joined the more than 50 airlines around the world to implement the ban.
The airline blamed incidents of exploding lithium batteries.
For more background on banning lithium-ion ban, read the Editor’s Blog.
