Aviation regulators to discuss Dell notebook recall

BATTERIES IN notebooks and in other electronic gizmos will be discussed at UN body the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Montreal, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said today.

That meeting happens in a few month's time and the recent spate of publicity over the Dell notebook battery recall, exclusively revealed by the INQ last weekend, is likely to be discussed there, a CAA representative said.

The ICAO sets worldwide regulations for the carriage of dangerous goods, and the CAA polices it in the UK.

But the CAA revealed that lithium ion cells and batteries are only classed as dangerous when they're carried as cargo. Specific requirements include that they must be protected from short circuits and of a type that passes specific testing.

However, said the CAA, while there are exemptions from these requirements for passengers on flights, "loose batteries" still need to be protected from short circuiting. µ

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