Panel rejects ban on air shipments of fire-prone batteries

WASHINGTON – A U.N. aviation panel Wednesday rejected a ban on rechargeable battery shipments on passenger airliners, despite evidence they can cause explosions and unstoppable, in-flight fires.

The panel of the International Civil Aviation Organization voted 10 to 7 against a ban, two aviation officials told the Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak about the vote publicly.

The United States, Russia, Brazil, China and Spain, as well as organizations representing airline pilots and aircraft manufacturers, voted in favor of the ban. The Netherlands, Canada, France, Australia, Italy, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Japan and the United Kingdom, as well as an international airline trade association, voted against it.

U.S. Federal Aviation Administration government tests show small quantities of overheated lithium-ion batteries can cause explosions that can disable aircraft fire protection systems. The explosions knock panels off the interior walls of cargo compartments, allowing halon gas – the fire suppression system used in airliners – to escape and dissipate. That would allow a fire to rage unchecked and could lead to the destruction of the plane.

The aviation organization, also called ICAO, is the United Nations agency that sets international aviation standards. It’s up to each country to decide whether to follow the standards, but most do.