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Lithium metal
batteries, which are used in watches, have already been banned
on passenger planes globally. Lithium metal batteries, used in
watches, are not rechargable while lithium-ion batteries, used
in cell phones and laptops, can be recharged.
The International Civil Aviation Organization's 36-state
governing council said the prohibition would be in effect as of
April 1, and would be maintained until a new fire-resistant
packaging standard is designed to transport the batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries can still be transported on cargo planes.
The new packaging standard is expected by 2018, ICAO Council
President Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu said in a statement.
The ban would be mandatory for ICAO member states.
Pilots and aircraft manufacturers are concerned that existing
standards are not strong enough to contain lithium battery
fires.
A 2015 working paper by an organization representing plane
makers like Boeing Co found current firefighting systems on
airliners could not "suppress or extinguish a fire involving
significant quantities of lithium batteries."
But one dangerous goods expert familiar with ICAO's thinking
questioned whether a ban on lithium-ion batteries would really
make passenger planes safer. He said instances of such battery
fires usually involved deliberate mislabeling by shippers.
"When the industry banned the shipment of lithium-metal
batteries, we saw instances of them being passed off as lithium
ion batteries," said the expert, who was not authorized to speak
publicly. "Those people who are not complying now won't comply
with a prohibition."
(Reporting by Allison Lampert; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
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