Debate on lithium batteries reignites

— -- An airline pilots union is calling for a government ban on shipments of lithium batteries aboard aircraft after a series of fires in recent years.

The Air Line Pilots Association said Tuesday that federal regulators have been slow to act on the issue.

Pilots are calling for a ban on all lithium-based battery shipments on passenger and cargo jets. The ban would not apply to devices containing batteries brought aboard by passengers.

"The evidence of a clear and present danger is mounting," said Mark Rogers, an airline pilot and director of the union's dangerous goods programs.

"We need an immediate ban on these dangerous goods to protect airline passengers, crews and cargo," Rogers said.

Since March 2008, there have been six fires on board passenger and cargo jets linked to lithium-based batteries, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. None of the incidents caused deaths or serious injuries.

Laura Brown, an FAA spokeswoman, said the government does not see a need for an emergency ban on lithium battery shipments, because strict rules are being drafted. "We're monitoring the situation," Brown said. "We understand there have been incidents."

The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has been attempting to draft new regulations for the past two years.

The union's call was prompted by several incidents, including a fire aboard a FedEx jet Aug. 14 that was discovered shortly after landing in Minneapolis.

The fire apparently began in a shipment of battery-powered smokeless cigarettes, said Patrick Hogan, spokesman for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The devices are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

The jet was not damaged, but the fire heavily damaged the contents of a cargo container, Hogan said.

Rogers said that the incident could have been far more serious if the fire had not begun shortly before landing. "If we hadn't been lucky, we would have had a catastrophic hull loss," he said. Federal law allows lithium-ion batteries to be carried as cargo on passenger jets.