Europe's aviation regulator says there's a risk of battery fires in the cargo holds of passenger planes after US and British authorities banned certain electronics from passenger cabins.
The European Aviation Safety Agency, which is responsible for safe flying in 32 countries, said personal electronic devices carried a fire risk due to their lithium batteries and should be carried inside passenger cabins so that any problems could be identified and dealt with.
In regard to the European agency's concerns, the US Transportation Safety Administration said it had "co-ordinated closely with the FAA" (Federal Aviation Administration) on the logistics of the ban and that the agency had provided information to airlines regarding appropriate handling of electronics and lithium batteries.
The European agency, however, warned in a bulletin: "When the carriage of PEDs in the cabin is not allowed, it leads to a significant increase of the number of PEDs in the cargo compartment. Certain precautions should therefore be observed to mitigate the risk of accidental fire in the cargo hold."
Computers in checked baggage must be completely switched off and "well protected from accidental activation", it added.
The Cologne, Germany-based agency issued its guidance two weeks after the US and Britain banned gadgets larger than a smartphone from passenger cabins on flights from certain countries because of security concerns.
The European safety recommendation is not mandatory, but is likely to rekindle a debate about the new rules, which some airline chiefs have criticised as inconsistent or ineffective.
A group representing 38,000 European pilots said last week it was "seriously concerned" about the ban, on the grounds that it could create new safety risks.
