Rising Concerns Over Lithium Battery Incidents on Airplanes

Lithium battery incidents on airplanes have increased by 42% in the last five years, with at least one incident occurring on a passenger plane in the US every week since 2021. Lithium-ion batteries can catch fire and explode due to a process called "thermal runaway." Pilots and flight attendants are concerned about the safe transport of hazardous materials on airplanes, including lithium batteries, and some airlines are using specialized "thermal containment" bags to control fires. Public awareness among travelers is crucial, and the FAA has guidelines for carrying lithium batteries on airplanes. A startup called Pure Lithium has developed a non-flammable battery, but it will take time to scale up production.