They are seen as a fire risk and there are concer­ns that if a fire were to start it could not easily be exting­uished­European aviation safety authorities have urged airlines to remind passengers about how best to transport electronic devices containing lithium ion batteries over the busy Christmas travel period. Lithium ion batteries, found in devices such as laptops, mobile phones, tablets, and electronic cigarettes, are seen as a fire risk, and there are concerns that if a fire were to start in the hold of a plane, it could not easily be extinguished. Many airlines in Europe already have their own procedures in place, such as telling passengers that laptops should not be carried in hold baggage. They should also not be carried in the same bag as flammable items such as perfume or aerosols. Lithium ion batteries are also used to power so-called smart bags, suitcases which offer GPS tracking and can charge devices, weigh themselves or be locked remotely using mobile phones.

Source: The Express Tribune December 20, 2017 07:07 UTC