Air passengers have been warned that electronic devices cannot be stored in the overhead luggage racks during the flight.
As The Sun writes, devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops can come in handy when flying, but they can also pose a big risk.
According to America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), airlines have to deal with at least one fire per week on board their planes due to improper storage of devices.
In particular, problems during flights arise when batteries overheat or are damaged in luggage compartments. When this happens, devices can easily catch fire.
So, in 2022, there were at least 54 incidents in America alone, when devices, including laptops, phones, electronic cigarettes, and more, had to be extinguished for one reason or another.
“These are events involving lithium batteries, including smoke, fire, or extreme heat, of which the FAA is aware and should not be considered a complete list of all such incidents,” said the FAA report, which suggests that there were, in fact, incidents more
As an example, the FAA cited a recent incident involving an e-cigarette in a passenger’s checked baggage that “smoldered” and emitted “dangerous heat.”
To avoid unpleasant incidents, the FAA advises either storing devices with lithium-ion batteries in carry-on luggage in plain sight, or completely disabling them if they are stored in checked baggage, by pre-packing them so that they are protected from damage.
At the same time, flight attendants ask passengers to contact them immediately if they lose their phone during the flight, and not to look for it on their own.
“All it takes is a crack in the wrong place on the phone, and flammable solvents will get into the cabin, which can cause a fire. We know how the seats move, and we can handle them carefully while we poke around in the cracks,” he told the publication. a flight attendant with experience.