U.S. Bans Lithium Batteries From Cargo Holds on Passenger Flights

Taylor Hatmaker, writing for TechCrunch:

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration issued new rules designed to protect air passengers from the potential dangers of lithium ion batteries. The new interim final rule disallows lithium ion cells and batteries in the cargo area of passenger airplanes. The rule also sets new guidance for lithium ion batteries that travel on cargo-carrying planes, specifying that they not exceed a state of being 30 percent charged. […]

The FAA’s current fact sheet suggests that these batteries should be carried in the passenger area and not checked, though it doesn’t go as far as banning them outright.

I think it’s been up to individual airlines to police this. On American, they’ve been asking me for years whether my checked bags contain any lithium-ion batteries.

★ Thursday, 28 February 2019