MAHB: Remove batteries from e-cigarettes before flying

PETALING JAYA: E-cigarette users will now have to remove the batteries from their vaping devices during flights as an extra safety precaution, says Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB).
In a Facebook post, MAHB said that current International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations do not allow e-cigarettes to be checked in as baggage, but these can be hand-carried on board the aircraft.   

"Malaysia Airports has implemented an additional safety precaution, effective immediately, whereby passengers will be asked to detach the batteries from the equipment," it said.

MAHB added that they had referred the matter to the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) for further advice.

Meanwhile, in PUTRAJAYA, Bernama reported that the DCA said it was concerned over the reported incident on board Malindo Air flight OD1003.

DCA director-general Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman in a statement said they were conducting an internal investigation on the matter.

He outlined the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO Doc 9284) issued by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), namely;

    i. Passengers and cabin crew are prohibited from carrying battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices including electronic cigarettes in checked baggage.

    ii. Prohibits recharging of battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices in aircraft cabins.

    iii. Batteries shall be removed from electronic smoking devices and be put in proper storage.

"These instructions shall be complied with by the airline operators, crew and passengers so as to avoid similar incidents in future," said Azharuddin.

In was reported that in the 6.45pm incident Saturday, the battery of an e-cigarette device inside a bag placed on a passenger's lap suddenly burst into flames just after the aircraft took off from Kota Kinabalu for the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2).

The passenger sustained burns on his thighs and left hand.

Resource :- www.thestar.com

Related Links : Electronic Cigarette Batteries

E-Cigarettes, Deemed Flight Safety Risk, Banned From Checked Bags

A new safety rule that prohibits air travelers and crew members from carrying e-cigarettes and other battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices in their checked baggage was announced earlier this week.

“We know from recent incidents that e-cigarettes in checked bags can catch fire during transport,” U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “Fire hazards in flight are particularly dangerous. Banning e-cigarettes from checked bags is a prudent safety measure.”

The interim final rule, issued on Monday by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, applies to e-cigarettes, battery-powered devices that simulate tobacco smoking by producing heated vapors, which resembles smoke, as well as similar items like e-cigs, e-cigars, e-hookahs, e-pipes, personal vaporizers, and electronic nicotine delivery systems.

The new rule, which also prohibits the charging of such devices and their batteries on board the aircraft, aims to prevent putting the flying public at risk and is partially in response to recent smoke and fire incidents involving e-cigarettes in passenger baggage, Marie-Therese Dominguez, PHMSA’s administrator, wrote this week on Fast Lane, the official blog of the U.S. Department of Transportation, citing several examples:

-On August 9, 2014, at Boston’s Logan Airport, an e-cigarette in a passenger’s checked bag in the cargo hold of a passenger aircraft caused a fire that forced an evacuation of the aircraft.

-On January 4, 2015, at Los Angeles International Airport, a checked bag was found to be on fire in a baggage area. Emergency responders attributed the fire to an overheated e-cigarette.

These and several other incidents “have shown that e-cigarettes can overheat and cause fires when the heating element is accidentally activated or left on,” Dominguez said.

Resource :- http://www.forbes.com

Related Links :- Electronic Cigarette Batteries

E-cigarettes banned on US flights – but what about SA?

Cape Town - US federal authorities are taking steps to eliminate dangerous materials on airplanes — and the latest safety measure implemented is the ban of the electronic cigarette in aircraft holds.

The new ban - which comes into effect within two weeks - forbids passengers on all airlines in the US from packing e-cigarettes or other battery-operated electronic smoking devices in their checked bags to guard against in-flight fires.

This is after an e-cigarette in checked baggage stowed in an airliner’s cargo in August last year caused a fire that forced an evacuation of the aircraft, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the US.

E-cigarettes will still be allowed in carry-on luggage within the cabin, but authorities say it is only a matter of time before the devices will be banned from aircraft completely.


ALSO READ: Cabin Confessions – more crew and passengers share their stories


In the past, e-cigarettes have proven to be of an unstable nature.

In October last year, a smoker was left seriously injured and in hospital after an e-cigarette blew up and nearly tore off his legs.

David Aspinall was using the device when it overheated and exploded, sending shards of metal tearing into his limbs and setting his home on fire, The Telegraph reported in 2014.

Resource: http://traveller24.news24.com

E-Cigarette Battery Explosions Spark Safety Concerns

BOSTON (CBS) — There’s been a lot of debate about what you’re inhaling when you take a drag from an electronic cigarette, but now doctors and fire officials are sounding an alarm about the mechanics of the devices themselves.

One exploded in a 17-year-old girl’s hand in Brookline, NH, last week, causing major burns. Doctors at Shriners hospitals for Children in Boston say they’ve seen similar cases.

“It’s kind of an unregulated gray area,” said Dr. Robert Sheridan. “Even though these incidents are rare, if you use them enough as a population of people, there will be problems.”

In the five years before 2014, more than 2.5 million Americans reported using e-cigarettes. There were 25 explosions or fires involving them nationwide, leading to nine injuries.

Experts say accidents happen when users combine e-cigarette parts that aren’t meant to go together, or use batteries and chargers that aren’t compatible. At The Vape Shop in Brighton, owner Vincent Soohoo requires customers to sign a disclaimer acknowledging it’s not safe to mix and match parts from different kinds of devices.

“We try to educate everyone when they purchase a product. We teach them how to fill it, how to use it, what not to do,” said Soohoo.

Sales of e-cigarettes more than doubled last year, totaling an estimated at $1.7 billion.

Resource: http://boston.cbslocal.com/

Experts Provide Safety Tips Following E-Cigarette Explosion

NAPLES, Fla.- A North Naples man remains in critical condition after an e-cigarette exploded in his face on Monday.

Evan Spahlinger, 21, is still in a coma at a burn unit in a Miami hospital. He suffered burns to his face, neck and lungs.

WINK News took the questions of many concerned viewers over the safety of e-cigarettes to the Vape King store.

“It hits home, we are upset about it and we don’t want anyone to be vaping unsafely,” said Laura Kaman, owner of Vape King.

She says battery safety is very important when using e-cigarettes. Firefighters say the battery is likely what caused Spahlinger’s device to explode, causing horrible burns internally and externally.


“All lithium batteries can explode like cell phone, laptop batteries, so the potential is there, people just don’t realize how dangerous batteries are,” said Kaman.We showed the employees at Vape King Spahlinger’s device.

“He was using most likely a mechanical mod. Which is more like, pretty much you’re using the battery that pushes voltage straight through the battery right to the tank,” said Vinny Kaman.


That type of vaping is called dripping.

“You do it yourself, you get more control out of it. at the same time, you can rep it with too low of resistance and that can a circuit, or something along those lines, with the battery,” said Trevor Sollitto.


Laura Kaman said dripping is different from using an e-cigarette, “the majority of our business is all protected safe, eco style, e-cig batteries.”If you prefer dripping, Kaman says make sure you properly know how to do it and have your battery in a protective case. If your battery is damaged, replace it and properly dispose of it.The North Collier Fire and Rescue Department is still investigating Spahlinger’s incident.
Resource: http://www.winknews.com

U.S. Bans E-Cigarettes In Checked Baggage, And No Vaping On The Plane Either

 The U.S. Department of Transportation is all, like, “I've had it with these mothafuckin' vapes, on this mothafuckin' plane!”

Citing in-flight fire hazards, DOT announced a ban on vape pens, e-cigarettes, and other similiar devices in any checked baggage of passengers or flight crew.

What exactly is banned? The interim final rule (IFR) issued today prohibits “passengers and crewmembers from carrying battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices (e.g. e-cigarettes, e-cigs, e-cigars, e-pipes, personal vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems) in checked baggage and prohibit passengers and crewmembers from charging the devices and/or batteries on board the aircraft.”

The DOT defines an e-cigarette as “a battery-powered device that simulates tobacco smoking by producing a heated vapor, which resembles smoke.”

Passengers are allowed to continue to carry e-cigarettes for their own personal use in carry-on baggage, or on their person on the plane (in a pocket or whatever). But you can't use them during the flight.

    The Department’s current regulatory ban on smoking of tobacco products on passenger flights includes the use of electronic cigarettes. Nevertheless, to prevent passenger or crewmember confusion, the Department has proposed to amend its existing airline smoking rule to explicitly ban use of electronic cigarettes aboard aircraft.

    The IFR does not prohibit a passenger from carrying other devices containing batteries for personal use (such as laptop computers, cell phones, cameras, etc.) in checked or carry-on baggage, nor does it restrict a passenger from transporting batteries for personal use in carry-on baggage.

“We know from recent incidents that e-cigarettes in checked bags can catch fire during transport,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement announcing the new federal rule.

“Fire hazards in flight are particularly dangerous. Banning e-cigarettes from checked bags is a prudent safety measure.”

The DOT referenced a U.S. Fire Administration report that says over two dozen e-cigarette-related explosions and fires that have taken place since 2009. Some of those combustible events involved e-cigarettes packed in checked luggage on airplanes.

DOT Issues New Flight Safety Rule for E-Cigarettes [transportation.gov, some good related coverage at CBS News, USA Today]

Source :   https://boingboing.net