ALPA lauded ICAO for committing to develop new packaging standards for lithium battery shipments on aircraft

WASHINGTON, D.C., 2015-5-8 — /Travel PR News/ — The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) today lauded the Dangerous Goods Panel of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for committing to develop new packaging standards for lithium battery shipments on aircraft that would protect the aircraft and all on board from the effects of a lithium battery fire.

“While this ICAO panel action marks critical progress, ALPA pilots will not rest in our work until the safe transport of lithium batteries is ensured on all aircraft”, said ALPA President Capt. Tim Canoll. “Much work remains to be done to ensure the packaging standard is fully developed and implemented, and we continue to support the recommendation that packages not be carried until the standard is in place. We are nevertheless encouraged by ICAO’s action and recognize that packaging is an important piece in a multilayered approach to the safe transport of lithium batteries. We look forward to participating in the work as ALPA pursues the goal of maintaining the safest possible air transportation system.”

The panel will form a new working group to develop packaging standards with the goal of ensuring that any hazardous effects of a lithium battery fire are contained within the package. With this packaging standard in place, a fire in a lithium battery package would not propagate to other packages in a cargo compartment or endanger the aircraft.

ALPA pilots, led by First Officer Mark Rogers, ALPA’s director of Dangerous Goods Programs, joined with representatives of the major aircraft manufacturers this week at a meeting of the ICAO Panel. The Panel was presented with a recommendation that new packaging and shipping standards be created for shipments on both passenger and all-cargo aircraft, and that high-density shipments of lithium ion batteries not be carried aboard passenger aircraft until such standards are in place, setting the stage for the action by the panel.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 51,000 pilots at 30 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website atwww.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

###

CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703/481-4440 or Media@alpa.org