FAA urges airlines to reconsider transporting lithium batteries

The Federal Aviation Administration urged airlines on Tuesday to reconsider the risks of transporting lithium ion batteries in cargo.

In addition to telling carriers to assess and manage the risks associated with battery shipments, which have caused fires on board planes, the FAA is also providing new guidelines to its employees who evaluate the airlines' precautions.

"FAA battery fire testing has highlighted the potential risk of a catastrophic aircraft loss due to damage resulting from a lithium battery fire or explosion," the administration wrote in the safety alert. "Current cargo fire suppression systems cannot effectively control a lithium battery fire."

U.S. passenger airlines are already banned from carrying lithium-metal batteries as cargo, and several have decided against carrying rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, but an industry-wide ban has not yet been adopted.

Last month, the U.N.'s International Civilian Aviation Organization recommended that those shipments are officially banned from passenger aircraft, at least until new packaging could provide additional safety.

While passenger airline safety has been at the forefront of the discussion, those who work on cargo planes are concerned as well.

Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), a union representing pilots, is insisting that cargo pilots and crew should also be protected from carrying battery shipments considered dangerous, Runway Girl Network reported.

“ALPA has long advocated for the expedited development of packaging standards that would help protect the aircraft and all on board from the effects of a lithium battery fire,” said ALPA president Tim Canoll.

Canoll supports the regulation of lithium batteries as "dangerous goods."

Additional reporting by the Associated Press