Laptop Fires On Airplanes

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday October 27, 2009 @05:55AM from the but-the-lithium-makes-the-voices-go-away dept.

The risk posed by lithium batteries on airplanes is not exactly new news to this community; but the issue is starting to get wider exposure. Reader Maximum Prophet points out that as usual xkcd gets it right, and sends in an NY Times article calling the batteries a fire risk that clears security. "More than half of the 22 battery fires in the cabin of passenger planes since 1999 have been in the last three years. One air safety expert suggested that these devices might be 'the last unrestricted fire hazard' people can bring on airplanes."

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Re:They can't ban them. by ircmaxell · 2009-10-27 06:03 · Score: 5, Interesting

Actually, putting it in checked luggage would be worse (in fact, most airlines ban batteries from checked luggage already)... If they did catch fire, by the time passengers/crew realized it (from alarms, etc), the fire would be significantly more advanced than if it happened in cabin...

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If a man isn't willing to take some risk for his opinions, either his opinions are no good or he's no good