Total ban on lithium batteries by air

The International Civil Aviation
Organisation (Icao) has announced
a total ban on the transport of
lithium ion batteries on passenger
aircraft, effective April 1,
according to David Alexander, GM
of Avsec.
This, he noted, confirmed the
recommendation of the body’s Air
Navigation Commission (ANC)
and was legally binding on all 191
Icao member states and all the
airlines operating in them.
This prohibition only refers to
lithium ion batteries covered by
the UN code 3480, and has been
imposed on an ‘interim basis’.
The significance of this,
Alexander told FTW, was that
UN 3480 referred only to lithium
ion batteries shipped in bulk, and
not to batteries contained in or
with electronic products – either
carried as cargo or by individual
passengers or crew members
aboard the aircraft.
And the ‘interim basis’ reference
allows Icao to lift the ban in the
future if safe packaging is designed
or if the batteries are redesigned
to cut out the danger of a fire
that can burn at 2 000 degrees
centigrade and can result in a
thermal runaway – a devastating
incident on an aircraft and one
that exceeds the capabilities of its
fire suppression system.