Safety
ICAO Bans Lithium-ion Battery Shipments by Passenger Airlines
The 'interim' prohibition does not affect bulk shipments of lithium batteries by cargo airlines, which concerns the Air Line Pilots Association.
ICAO Council head Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu spoke last week at Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit. (Photo: Experia Events)
ICAO Council head Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu spoke last week at Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit. (Photo: Experia Events)

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has banned the shipment of lithium-ion batteries as cargo on passenger aircraft while it develops a new packaging standard for the rechargeable batteries used in many consumer devices. But the ban failed to quiet industry concerns about the potential of lithium batteries to cause in-flight fires, since it does not affect cargo airlines.