Airline Industry Wrestles With Lithium Battery Issue

The FAA proposed a civil penalty against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on September 2 for allegedly providing to FedEx a mislabeled box c

explosion of a Lithium-ion battery installed in a mobile Bluetooth speaker — On average, two lithium-ion battery thermal runaway events occur every week, mostly while aircraft are in cruise. © AdobeStock

By Bill Carey

September 12, 2011

The FAA proposed a civil penalty against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on September 2 for allegedly providing to FedEx a mislabeled box containing lithium batteries, bringing attention to an issue of particular concern to the airline industry.

Improving standards for the bulk shipment of widely used lithium batteries, which have been known to catch fire, stands as one of the safety priorities of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The association opposes language in the House version of FAA reauthorization legislation that would prohibit regulation of lithium batteries beyond current hazardous materials requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization. The Air Transport Association (ATA) supports the language, arguing that international regulations should harmonize and that further regulation would prove burdensome. ALPA and ATA have formed a working group to try to reach consensus. Some carriers maintain their own procedures for handling lithium battery shipments.

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