Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

Lithium-ion battery thermal runaway incidents on passenger flights rose 15% from 2024 to 2025, according to the UL Standards &amp; Engagement (ULSE) Lithium-ion Battery Incidents in Aviation: <a href="https://ulse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/TRIP-Report-July-2026_FINAL.pdf">2025 Data Review</a>. Portable charger incidents rose 42%, making them the leading culprit ahead of e-cigarettes, with cell phones the third most common device involved in thermal runaways.
ULSE gathers information from its leading voluntary Thermal Runaway Incident Program (TRIP), which includes more than 40 passenger and cargo airlines submitting information to the TRIP database. According to ULSE, the rate of weekly incidents has reached 2.36, up from 2.05 in 2024. The cost to the industry now averages $1.8 million a year, or $96,000 per incident, “in damage, disruption, and associated losses.”
Passengers are still packing lithium-ion battery chargers in the worst possible place: in bags stored in the baggage space, which cannot be accessed in flight on airliners but can be in some business jets. “There are limited options to fight fires in the cargo hold: typically only through means such as halon extinguishers and oxygen-depriving systems,” ULSE explained. “However, these methods are not effective on lithium-ion battery fires, which are more difficult to extinguish and more likely to reignite compared to other materials.”
To mitigate the risk of thermal runaway incidents, ULSE recommends cabin crew training, standards for onboard safety equipment to help manage thermal runaways, and more passenger education. ULSE has developed a safety standard for fire-containment bags or boxes—UL 5800—and noted that while the FAA doesn’t require this equipment, “some airlines have taken the initiative to stock their fleets. Efficacy and ease of use are essential to mitigating battery fires using these products.”
“Every incident is a safety risk, and the trend line is moving in the wrong direction,” said ULSE president and CEO Jeff Marootian. “Passengers do not need to be safety experts to reduce the risk. Keeping rechargeable devices within reach can help us all fly in safer skies.
“Airlines are taking the risk seriously, strengthening policies and training crew to respond when incidents occur. But they cannot solve this problem alone. Passengers need to understand the risks and know what to do before the rechargeable device becomes a safety threat,” he added.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Portable Battery Chargers Cause 42% Rise in Plane Thermal Runaway Incidents

Numbers are rising and the risk of a serious incident is increasing

The cost to the industry of battery thermal runaways now averages $1.8 million a year or $96,000 per incident “in damage, disruption, and associated losses.”

Li-ion Thermal Runaways on the Rise in Aircraft Cabins

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News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

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