**Rising Lithium Battery Incidents on Aircraft Prompt Safety Concerns**

A significant increase in lithium battery-related incidents aboard aircraft has caught the attention of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In 2024 alone, a startling 81 such events have been reported, averaging around 1.6 incidents per week. This marks a significant rise from 2014, when only nine incidents were reported throughout the entire year.

The FAA highlights the potential dangers posed by lithium batteries due to their propensity for "thermal runaway"—a rapid and uncontrollable increase in temperature and pressure, which can result in the release of flammable gases. This phenomenon has been observed frequently across major airlines, correlating with the widespread use of personal gadgets powered by lithium-ion batteries.

A myriad of devices including portable chargers, cell phones, vape pens, laptops, and tablets have been involved in these incidents. Typically, smoke detected in the cabin alerts either passengers or crew members, who manage to avert further escalation by addressing the overheating device promptly.

However, not all instances are resolved without incident. For example, on April 9, an American Airlines flight from Indianapolis to Los Angeles had to reroute to Chicago after a passenger's portable battery charger ignited, necessitating crew intervention to extinguish the fire. Similarly, on January 15, a United Airlines flight traveling from Dulles, Virginia to San Francisco saw a passenger's cell phone undergo thermal runaway, with the crew ultimately containing the ensuing flames within a thermal containment bag.

The surge in these occurrences underscores a growing safety challenge linked to the ubiquity of lithium-ion powered devices on airplanes, prompting calls for enhanced safety measures and passenger awareness.