Electronic device batteries- the new threat to airlines?
You have probably seen several photos on the web recently that show both Dell laptops and Apple MacBook Pros that have spontaneously burst into flames due to problems with the batteries. I was wondering when this was going to catch the attention of the FAA and according to an article in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) it didn’t take long. I haven't read the article yet due to no subscription but according to reader Curt Eley authorities are now concerned about the danger to air travellers with these unsafe laptops (and other devices using lithium-ion batteries) on board and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a ban on the use of them during flights. If this happens it will be a typical knee-jerk reaction to a problem that has only affected a handful (or less) of defective laptop batteries. I can see the headlines now– FAA, the TSA and Homeland Security ban the use of all electronic devices with lithium-ion batteries during all domestic flights. What do you think, would you feel safer with no electronic devices in use during flights?
-jk
It'll probably be worse than you realize. They recently had a UPS freighter plane catch fire in flight. The initial take is that replacement lithium ion batteries, not in use mind you, started the fire.
Coupled with their possible uses as an energy source to power a bomb...
They might need to ban carrying the batteries period.
Posted by: Scotty | August 14, 2006 at 10:49 AM
Knee-jerk reaction? I think the industries with economic interest in not seeing restrictions (airlines, high-tech) have too great an influence on the FAA/NTSB for that to ever happen. Just look at what happened after the root cause for TWA 800 was found -- I am pretty sure the 747 I am going to board this weekend still has the same design flaw, even though a solution has been known for decades (and implemented by the military). Alas, the decision was made that it's economically "cheaper" to blow up a passenger airliner every once in a while (well, very rarely, fortunately) than to force the airlines/Boeing/Airbus to fix the problem in their existing fleet.
Posted by: Oliver | August 14, 2006 at 11:32 AM
Banning all would be interesting considering I work for a company that medically implants these batteries to power a pain relief system and so do all of the pacemaker companies.
Steve
Posted by: lsbeller | August 14, 2006 at 01:39 PM
Steve, I guess that gives the term "heart burn" a completely new meaning ;-)
Posted by: Oliver | August 14, 2006 at 05:03 PM
LOL That was bad...hilarious...but bad. ;)
Steve
Posted by: lsbeller | August 14, 2006 at 10:12 PM
Well, in a massive knee-jerk reaction, Dell today announced a recall program for 4.1 million laptop batteries shipped between April of 2004 and July of 2006.
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/corp/pressoffice/en/2006/2006_08_14_rr_002?c=us&l=en&s=corp
I just pulled the battery out of my fairly new D610 and discovered that its battery isn't impacted. I do wonder now whether it was a good idea to buy a no-name-brand replacement battery for my Toshiba Portege M100 :-/
Posted by: Oliver | August 14, 2006 at 10:56 PM