Originally Posted by
jc94
Sorry this was meant to be a sarcastic comment about the reliability of AC's USB power outlets.
It's an odd post though, I mean it is never recommended (permitted even) to store batteries in checked luggage. Sure it's a phone... but it has a Lithium battery. It's also not recommend to store anything expensive, electronic or fragile in checked luggage.
I just can't see why someone would ever put this in checked luggage.
Anyway, anyone remember the Dell battery issue a few years back? And I hear there's some iPhone concerns too. It seems to be one of those issues that pops up every few years.
As for the USB, well you need to use the sarcasm emoji because I don't know you well enough to understand what you meant.
There is more than one issue related to cell phone batteries.
More than a few phones and other devices have exploded or caught fire onboard aircraft. As mentioned, the crews seems to have managed.
Another problem is that some devices get quite hot while they are charging. plus, people put them in the seatback pockets. I don't care if they want to place their phones where there may have been garbage, kleenex or dirty diapers. But there is also no ventilation.
I find it interesting that on flights with U.S. carriers, pre-departure safety announcements remind pax not to put their phones in the seatback pockets. I always assumed it was to prevent people from leaving them behind.
The issue with the Galaxy Note seems to be different as airlines jumped and government agencies are monitoring, or suggesting they not be brought onboard.
As for the clueless crowd that packs valuables in the checked luggage, well....
The lithium battery reminder seems to appear on the OLCI pages of all the airlines I've flown.
So, the best airlines and AC can do - short of searching everyone's bags - is remind pax about the safety issue for these devices.