If you’ve been on social media this past week, you may have seen dramatic footage or images of a lithium-ion battery fire aboard an Air China flight. The video shows smoke and flames billowing out of an overhead compartment as worried passengers alert the flight crew. Thankfully, no one was injured, and the aircraft made an emergency landing after cabin crew swiftly extinguished the fire.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. In January of this year, another suspected lithium-ion battery fire destroyed an Air Busan plane as it awaited takeoff in South Korea.
According to global data from UL Standards & Engagement’s Thermal Runaway Incident Program (TRIP), such events occur on an average of two flights per week. Most (roughly 70%) are contained early, when batteries show warning signs such as overheating and smoke. In 2024, only 18% resulted in fire or explosion.
While the immediate cause of these incidents lies in the lithium-ion power sources behind modern rechargeable devices — often after sustaining damage — the deeper, more systemic issue is behavioral: the knowledge and awareness gaps among passengers carrying these items on planes.
Why Studying International Passengers Matters
Air travel connects the world, but safety education and compliance efforts often stop at the border. Our recent study, Seguridad de las baterías de iones de litio en el transporte aéreo: Enfoque Asia-Pacífico, underscores why that must change, and how international data can better guide the global aviation community in tackling lithium-ion battery risks.
This approach matters for several key reasons:
- Air travel is inherently cross-border. Passengers frequently begin a journey in one regulatory environment and end in another — sometimes switching airline carriers in between. Inconsistent safety messaging across jurisdictions creates confusion and risk.
- Regional device usage varies. In Asia-Pacific, passengers more frequently travel with power banks and other lithium-ion battery-powered PEDs than in some other parts of the world. These trends demand regionally tailored interventions.
- Effective safety solutions must reflect international input. The way people interpret warnings, comply with restrictions, or understand safety risks is deeply cultural. Passengers’ behaviors might vary due to different consumer product regulatory regimes in their home countries. Without international data, safety campaigns risk missing the mark.
What the Research Uncovered
The study revealed three major challenges among Asia-Pacific air travelers:
- Low awareness of battery risks: Nearly 2 in 5 passengers are unaware that lithium-ion batteries can pose a fire risk in-flight, despite high-profile incidents over the past year.
- Confusion about airline rules: Less than half of respondents know where or how to check battery-related travel restrictions before flying.
- Misconceptions about safety practices: A significant portion of passengers incorrectly believe it is safe to place lithium-ion devices in checked luggage — an action banned by most international aviation authorities.
These insights mirror patterns we’ve seen among U.S. passengers and suggest that confusion and complacency are common worldwide. Yet, the Asia-Pacific survey also highlighted distinct opportunities for airlines and aviation authorities in the region: strong passenger trust in aviation authorities, interest in clearer guidance, and openness to new safety innovations.
Safety in the skies requires cooperation on the ground. By better understanding global passengers and advocating for internationally aligned standards, ULSE is helping build stronger coordination, clearer communication among stakeholders, and greater use of internationally aligned safety standards to prevent battery-related incidents on aircraft.
