Europe agency cites safety risk after aircraft laptop bans
NAN-F-48
Ban
Paris, April 5, 2017 (Reuters/NAN) Europe’s aviation regulator on Wednesday voiced concern over the possible risk of fire breaking out in the cargo holds of passenger planes, and urged new precautions after the U.S. and Britain banned computers from passenger cabins.
The European Aviation Safety Agency, which is responsible for safe flying in 32 countries, said personal electronic devices (PED) carried a fire risk due to their lithium batteries.
It said such electronics should preferably be carried inside passenger cabins so that any problems could be identified and dealt with.
“When the carriage of PEDs in the cabin is not allowed, it leads to a significant increase of the number of PEDs in the cargo compartment.
“Certain precautions should therefore be observed to mitigate the risk of accidental fire in the cargo hold.
“Computers in checked baggage must be completely switched off and “well protected from accidental activation,” the agency said.
The Cologne-based agency issued its guidance two weeks after the U.S. and Britain banned gadgets larger than a smartphone, including laptops and tablets, from passenger cabins on flights from certain countries because of security risks.
The European safety recommendation is not mandatory, but is likely to rekindle a debate about the scope and effectiveness of the new rules, which have been criticised by some airlines.
A group representing 38,000 European pilots said last week it was “seriously concerned” about the ban, on the grounds that it could create more safety risks.
“With current airplane cargo hold fire suppression systems, it might prove to be impossible to extinguish a lithium battery fire in the cargo hold, especially when the batteries are stored together.
“Therefore, any event of this nature during flight would more than likely be catastrophic,” the European Cockpit Association said. (Reuters/NAN)
OYE/AMY
=====
Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Abdullahi Yusuf