Trip attendant union warns of “catastrophic” fire danger from e-cigarettes on planes

Trip attendant union warns of “catastrophic” fire danger from e-cigarettes on planes

The pres >wants the FAA to ban e-cigarettes from planes because their lithium-ion batteries might be a fire risk. Lithium-ion batteries energy just about any smart phone we have actually — nevertheless the concern about vaping products comes from the very fact they frequently use cheaper batteries to power them, raising fears they truly are almost certainly going to fail and produce a fire .

In February, free lithium-ion batteries sparked a fire aboard a Delta trip although it sat during the gate. Those batteries have been in e-cigarettes – just like the the one that caught fire when you look at the TSA line in Charleston, western Virginia. And in Savannah, Georgia, the battery pack for the vape pen had been blamed following a bag began smoking at safety.

At the least 265 incidents batteries that are involving been reported into the FAA since 1991, and FAA information shows at least 48 e-cigarette associated smoke or fire incidents at airports or on planes. That is more incidents than laptop computers and pills, mobile phones, battery chargers or extra batteries.

An FAA test video clip shows why lithium-ion batteries have been banned in checked baggage. In case a battery fails and gets in what’s called thermal runaway, it may burn off therefore hot that the plane’s fire suppression system can’t place it down. In 2016, the FAA banned the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone due to its lithium batteries fires that are starting.

“A lithium ion battery pack fire on an airplane could be catastrophic,” Sara Nelson, president regarding the Association of Flight Attendants, told CBS Information transport correspondent Kris Van Cleave. Nelson added that trip attendants are becoming firefighters on planes, as well as the FAA has to do more.

Trip attendants are taught to manage battery pack fires. That will involve placing the smoldering or device that is flaming fire-resistant bags, that are now carried up to speed many planes.

“think about we not have these e-cigarettes regarding the air plane at all?” Nelson said.

But Mark Millam regarding the Flight Safety Foundation said while batteries from e-cigarettes certainly are a great concern on planes, additional information will become necessary before an outright ban is sensible.

“A ban can happen if you have the best information that is recognized about any of it,” he said.

The FAA told “CBS today” in a declaration it has “clear regulations” regarding the transport that is safe of batteries. Legislation requires that e-cigarettes, vape pencils, and batteries that are spare be transported in carry-on bags.

The administration added that “because of this wide selection of battery pack conditions that can happen, it is necessary that airlines have actually the flexibleness to evaluate cbd gummies dosage and deal with the potential risks associated with every person situation.”