As we were finishing this issue of AeroSafety World, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council decided to prohibit, on an interim basis, all shipments of lithium ion batteries as cargo on passenger aircraft in commercial air transport. In announcing the decision, Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, president of the Council, said, “Safety is always our most fundamental priority in international civil aviation. This interim prohibition will continue to be in force as separate work continues through ICAO on a new lithium battery packaging performance standard.” The ban is effective April 1, 2016.
