Lithium Battery Cargo Barred From Airliners

Shipments of rechargeable lithium batteries will no longer be allowed on certain aircrafts because of a safety risk, an aviation agency has said. The International Civil Aviation Organization said the ban—effective April 1—is because the batteries could cause large fires, destroying passenger planes. Lithium-ion batters are used in cellphones, laptops and some electric cars, but the ban doesn't apply to batteries already packaged inside equipment (like a laptop). The council's president said Monday that the cargo will be prohibited until a new packaging standard can be established, which likely won't be until 2018.