Last month, passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines flight were startled when their plane, taxiing for takeoff, was forced to return to the gate. The reason? A cell phone battery had ignited — an alarming incident that disrupted travel plans but, thankfully, caused no injuries.
The cause was thermal runaway, a dangerous, self-heating condition in lithium-ion batteries that can lead to smoke, fire, or even explosion. These incidents — caused by the rechargeable batteries in our phones, laptops, portable chargers, and other everyday devices — now occur as often as twice per week, most often while aircraft are in flight.
It’s a growing risk we cannot afford to ignore.
That’s why UL Standards & Engagement launched the Thermal Runaway Incident Program—to better understand and address these hazards before they lead to tragedy.
It’s also the reason Congress created the Lithium Battery Air Safety Advisory Committee (LiBASAC) in 2018. This cross-sector body was charged with advising the U.S. Department of Transportation, the FAA, and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration on best practices for the safe transport of lithium batteries by air. ULSE has been a proud member of the committee since its inception.
LiBASAC formally began its work in 2019 with a clear mission: to improve coordination among battery manufacturers, product makers, air carriers, retailers, and regulators—and to deliver informed recommendations to Congress for reducing risk.
However, on April 2, 2025, the committee was directed to pause its activities. With its charter set to expire on May 9, the pause effectively prevented the completion and submission of its final report to Congress, which was already in draft form.
But the work — and the lessons — don’t end there.
Recognizing the urgency of the issue, ULSE joined 11 other organizations in producing an independent set of recommendations based on LiBASAC’s draft findings and collective expertise. You can view the full report here.
Key risks identified in the recommendations include:
- Underperformance of fire containment systems intended for use in aviation.
- Widespread non-compliance in the shipment of lithium batteries.
- Lack of public awareness and education about the dangers of thermal runaway.
These are real threats — they are also solvable ones.
LiBASAC’s work provided a strong foundation, and we believe that foundation must be built upon. Through our continued leadership on battery safety, development of science-based standards, and close collaboration with the aviation community, ULSE is committed to carrying this mission forward.
With LiBASAC’s charter sunset, we will step into a new role — advancing its purpose independently. In addition to contributing to the recommendations report, ULSE will convene a coalition of non-government stakeholders to explore solutions and keep this critical dialogue active.
Our vision is bold but achievable: to bring the risk of thermal runaway in aviation as close to zero as possible.
If your organization is committed to battery or aviation safety and was not part of the original LiBASAC, we invite you to join us. Together, we can build a safer future in the skies.
