Battery Ban in Air Cargo Hold Retained

Concerned over the potential for fire in the cargo hold, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has elected to maintain a ban on cargo shipment of non-rechargeable lithium batteries on passenger transports. The prohibition does not apply to batteries taken aboard planes and used in cameras, computers or other battery-powered devices. As a safety precaution, the DOT advises travelers to pack spare batteries in their carryon luggage, rather than putting them in checked luggage, so any fire can be quickly extinguished. Lithium batteries can overheat and ignite in certain conditions. Safety testing conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration found that current aircraft cargo fire suppression systems are not capable of suppressing a fire if a shipment of primary lithium batteries is ignited in flight DOT is working with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the battery and airline industries, airline employee organizations, testing laboratories, and the emergency response communities to increase public awareness about battery-related risks and developments, and to promote improvements in industry standards and best practices.