United latest to ban carriage of lithium-ion batteries
Airlines are coming under pressure to ban shipments of lithium-ion batteries after United Airlines became the second major US carrier to announce it will no longer carry large quantities onboard.
It follows Delta Airlines’ decision to stop bulk shipments of the batteries in February.
Aviation officials believe that lithium-ion batteries, which are more prone to overheating than other types, contributed to fires that destroyed two Boeing 747 cargo planes, killing all four crew members.
In 2010, a plane operated by UPS Airlines crashed in Dubai after developing a fire onboard and in 2011 an Asiana Airlines cargo plane crashed into the Korea Strait. Both were caryring large consignments of lithium-ion batteries.
Missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 was also carrying a shipment of lithium-ion batteries when it disappeared a year ago en route to Beijing, leading to speculation there was a fire onboard.
"Our primary concerns when transporting dangerous goods are the safety of our customers, our customers’ shipments and the environment," United Airlines said in a statement.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025