The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is collaborating with airlines to develop awareness guidelines aimed at educating passengers about the proper handling of dangerous dry goods during air travel. This initiative focuses on enhancing information dissemination to ensure travelers understand regulations concerning hazardous materials, particularly power banks.
According to a press release, the awareness campaign comes in response to recent aviation incidents where power banks were suspected of causing fires aboard aircraft. CAAP emphasized that these were isolated cases but serve as important reminders about adhering to aviation safety protocols.
CAAP Flight Operations Department (FOD) head Captain James Conner addressed these concerns during a recent radio interview. He reiterated the need for passengers to strictly follow airline-imposed safety procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
CAAP clarified that no new policy is being drafted regarding the carriage of hazardous dry goods. Instead, the agency will continue implementing existing regulations while developing better ways to inform passengers about these important safety measures.
Under current CAAP regulations, power banks are classified as portable lithium-ion battery devices and are strictly prohibited in checked baggage due to the risk of overheating and potential fire hazards. However, passengers may carry them in their hand-carry luggage, subject to specific restrictions.
Power banks with capacity up to 100Wh (watt-hours) may be brought onboard without prior approval. Those between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval before being carried onboard, while power banks exceeding 160Wh are strictly prohibited on all flights.
CAAP strongly urges travelers to verify the capacity of their power banks and comply with airline policies before flying to avoid inconvenience during security checks.
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