WASHINGTON — Deemed an increasing danger to your safety in the air, federal regulators have put new restrictions where battery-powered devices can be kept on commercial flights.
The rules also change how lithium-ion batteries can be transported as cargo near passengers, maybe slowing the delivery of your next device.
“This rule will strengthen safety for the traveling public by addressing the unique challenges lithium batteries pose in transportation," U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao said in a news release on Wednesday.
New rules now prohibit the transport of lithium ion cells or batteries as cargo on passenger aircraft. It also requires lithium-ion cells and batteries to be shipped at not more than a 30 percent state of charge aboard cargo-only aircraft. So, the days of receiving a fully-charged device at your doorstep are likely over.
The changes will not have much impact on everyday travelers. Passengers can still bring battery-powered devices with them on a commercial flight in both carry-on and checked baggage.
Air safety regulators have become increasingly concerned about the fire risks posed by lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from cell phones to laptop computers.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones were banned from flights in 2016 after overheating phones would catch fire. The Department of Homeland Security banned large personal electronic devices on some international flights bound for the United States but has since lifted that ban.
“This new development is significant for the United States,” the U.S. Department of Transportation said in a news release. “Since March 1991, the FAA has recorded at least 241 incidents of lithium batteries overheating and emitting smoke on flights departing to and from airports across the country.”
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