US may ban smartphones and tablets on planes

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is proposing to ban the transport of lithium-ion batteries, which are used in phones and tablets, by air for safety reasons.

Lithium-ion batteries used in phones and tablets may be banned from air transport for safety reasons.

The NTSB said lithium-ion batteries should not be considered ordinary goods, should be classified as explosive, toxic and restricted for air transport. Meanwhile, US Senator Bill Nelson is calling on the US government to ban the transport of lithium-ion batteries by plane.

According to the NTSB, lithium-ion batteries used in portable devices can "cause explosions, fires," are "a readily combustible fuel source," and "are susceptible to overheating, creating a fire or explosion hazard."

The NTSB’s latest recommendation follows an investigation into a 2011 Asiana Airlines cargo fire that killed two crew members on the plane, which was carrying lithium-ion batteries and then crashed into the Korean Peninsula.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also said this week that there is a “potential for aviation disaster” if a lithium-ion battery explodes on a plane. Current safety measures on cargo planes are not designed to deal with such a battery explosion.

According to Vietnamnet.vn