DGCA bars use of power banks for in-flight charging amid fears of fires
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New Delhi: India’s the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has issued new aviation safety rules including directions over carrying power banks and other lithium battery powered devices onboard, NDTV reported.
DGCA’s advisory comes after reports of a series of incidents involving lithium batteries overheating or catching fire.
The 'Dangerous Goods Advisory Circular' issued in November allowed passengers to carry power banks and spare batteries only in hand luggage and cannot be stored in overhead compartments, because fires from them could be hard to detect and control.
Fire from lithium battery is particularly dangerous as they are so ‘highly energetic’ and ‘self-sustaining’ that they are hard to control.
‘The widespread usage of lithium batteries in various rechargeable devices has led to an increase in carriage of lithium batteries by air. Power banks, portable chargers, and similar devices containing lithium batteries can act as ignition sources and potentially initiate on-board fires,’ the circular reportedly said.
Authorities have warned that batteries stored ‘in overhead stowage bins’ or in ‘carry-on baggage’ could be hard to access, making it difficult for passengers or crew remembers to monitor them, leading to delayed detection of smoke, increasing ‘potential hazard to flight safety.’
The directive reportedly stated that lithium battery fires alongside being intense could cause ‘personal electronic devices to explode’.
‘A lithium battery fire can be started by uncontrolled heating, overcharging, crushing or internal short circuit triggered by poor manufacturing quality, aged batteries, or damage due to mishandling. Unlike other fires, lithium battery fires may be self-sustaining and require special methods to handle,’ the advisory noted.
The DGCA has asked airlines to review existing safety assessment over passengers carrying lithium batteries, alongside directing them to adopt stronger measures to prevent incidents of battery catching fire in aircraft cabins.
The regulator, directing to provide better crew training, pointed out that crew should be able to pick up early warning signs of battery overheating, smoke or flames from electronic devices.