E-Cigs Lead In Av-Related Thermal-Runaway Incidents

Perhaps an unlikely aviation news source, the Tobacco Reporter posted this week that battery thermal-runaway incidents on aircraft reached a five-year high in 2023, with e-cigarettes topping the list of causes. The information came from a report from the nonprofit UL Standards and Engagement (ULSE), an organization focused on safety standards.

ULSE initiated its Thermal Runaway Incident Program (TRIP), which solicits voluntary incident reports from its 35-member group of passenger and cargo airlines.

According to the report, thermal runaway episodes involving lithium-ion batteries rose 28% from 2019 to 2023, with an average of two incidents reported to the TRIP database per week. The report records that the average airline passenger brings four rechargeable devices on board each flight, with smartphones the most prevalent at 87%. Other devices include wireless headphones or earbuds, tablets and e-cigarettes (vapes). The latter generated 35% of reported incidents over the data-collection period.

The good news is that close to 90% of incidents involve devices stored near the passenger’s seat, making them easier to detect before the device explodes or a fire ignites. But passengers are increasingly storing rechargeable devices in checked luggage, out of reach of flight crews. More than 27% of passengers reported stowing portable chargers in their checked luggage, while another 27% admitted stowing e-cigarettes.

Lesley Rohrbaugh, head of insights and policy analysis for ULSE, said, “Our research highlights several trouble spots that need to be addressed, from passengers missing warnings about lithium-ion batteries to packing rechargeable devices out of reach. But we also see clear opportunities to reduce the risk, and that’s where we’re focused.”