These airline battery incident figures cover the measurement periods and populations identified in the available source material. Estimates, surveys and forecasts retain their reported scope.
Key Airline Battery Incident Statistics
The main findings are:
- The FAA recorded 5 passenger-aircraft lithium-battery incidents in 2006 (passenger aircraft).
- The FAA recorded 10 passenger-aircraft lithium-battery incidents in 2015 (passenger aircraft).
- E-cigarettes accounted for 35% of reported TRIP incidents on passenger flights in 2023 (passenger flights in the ULSE TRIP database).
- 87% of TRIP incidents were reported on the aircraft (2023 report; ULSE TRIP incidents).
- 85% of reported 2023 incidents were addressed at warning signs before full thermal runaway (ULSE TRIP incidents).
- Approximately 180,000 flights occurred in U.S. airspace per week in the ULSE comparison (2023 report).
- The FAA recorded 8 passenger-aircraft lithium-battery incidents in 2007 (passenger aircraft).
- The FAA recorded 27 passenger-aircraft lithium-battery incidents in 2016 (passenger aircraft).
- Power banks accounted for 16% of reported TRIP incidents on passenger flights in 2023 (passenger flights in the ULSE TRIP database).
- 13% of TRIP incidents occurred while baggage and personal items were on the move (2023 report; ULSE TRIP incidents).
- 15% of reported 2023 incidents resulted in fire or explosion (ULSE TRIP incidents).
- TRIP incidents rose 28% over the five years from 2019 to 2023 (2019–2023; ULSE TRIP database).
- The FAA recorded 5 passenger-aircraft lithium-battery incidents in 2008 (passenger aircraft).
- The FAA recorded 32 passenger-aircraft lithium-battery incidents in 2017 (passenger aircraft).
- E-cigarettes and power banks together represented 51% of reported passenger-flight incidents in the 2023 TRIP device breakdown (passenger flights in the ULSE TRIP database).
Contents
- Key Airline Battery Incident Statistics
- Airline battery incident statistics: the FAA passenger-aircraft trend from 2006 to 2014
- Airline battery incident statistics: the sharp rise in passenger-aircraft events from 2015 to 2023
- Airline battery incident data by device type in 2023
- Where airline battery incidents occur: aircraft, seats and baggage movement
- How airline battery incidents progress: warning signs, fire and thermal runaway
- Airline battery incident rates, passenger behavior and reporting limits
Airline battery incident statistics: the FAA passenger-aircraft trend from 2006 to 2014
The reported the FAA recorded figures cover passenger aircraft.
| Measurement period | The FAA recorded (incidents) |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 6 |
The FAA recorded 1 passenger-aircraft lithium-battery incident in 2009 (passenger aircraft). (An Evaluation of Fire Containment…)
FAA series covers events involving smoke, fire or heat and is not a complete census.
Same FAA series definition.
Airline battery incident statistics: the sharp rise in passenger-aircraft events from 2015 to 2023
The reported the FAA recorded figures cover passenger aircraft.
| Measurement period | The FAA recorded (incidents) |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 27 |
| 2017 | 32 |
| 2018 | 30 |
| 2019 | 32 |
| 2020 | 28 |
| 2021 | 45 |
| 2022 | 63 |
| 2023 | 61 |
- FAA 2023 lithium-battery incidents totaled 76 across passenger and other aircraft, including 63 on passenger aircraft (FAA-known aviation incidents). (FAA General Statements)
- The peer-reviewed PHMSA study found 274 thermal-runaway records in U.S. commercial air transportation from 1996 through July 2019 (1996–July 2019). (Analysis of Thermal Runaway Incidents…)
- Of the 274 PHMSA thermal-runaway records, 76% were reported from 2015 onward (1996–July 2019; U.S. commercial air transportation). (Analysis of Thermal Runaway Incidents…)
Same FAA series definition.
The all-aircraft total and passenger subset are not interchangeable with the s1 passenger series.
PHMSA database study; not a complete global or airline census.
Share uses the study’s incident-record population.
Airline battery incident data by device type in 2023
- E-cigarettes accounted for 35% of reported TRIP incidents on passenger flights in 2023 (passenger flights in the ULSE TRIP database). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- Power banks accounted for 16% of reported TRIP incidents on passenger flights in 2023 (passenger flights in the ULSE TRIP database). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- E-cigarettes and power banks together represented 51% of reported passenger-flight incidents in the 2023 TRIP device breakdown (passenger flights in the ULSE TRIP database). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- Smartphones were carried onboard by 82% of surveyed passengers in the ULSE device measure (2023 report; ULSE passenger measure). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- Laptops were carried onboard by 41% of surveyed passengers (2023 report; ULSE passenger measure). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- Wireless headphones were carried onboard by 39% of surveyed passengers (2023 report; ULSE passenger measure). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- Tablets were carried onboard by 36% of surveyed passengers (2023 report; ULSE passenger measure). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
TRIP is voluntary and its denominator is reported incidents, not flights or passengers.
Voluntary-report denominator.
Arithmetic sum of two reported category shares; categories and rounding follow the report.
Survey percentage, not incident share.
Where airline battery incidents occur: aircraft, seats and baggage movement
- 87% of TRIP incidents were reported on the aircraft (2023 report; ULSE TRIP incidents). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- 13% of TRIP incidents occurred while baggage and personal items were on the move (2023 report; ULSE TRIP incidents). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- Nearly 60% of aircraft incidents occurred in or around the passenger seat (2023 report; on-aircraft TRIP incidents). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- 27% of surveyed travelers reported checking portable chargers (2023 report; ULSE traveler survey). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- 27% of surveyed travelers reported checking e-cigarettes (2023 report; ULSE traveler survey). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- 95% of airline passengers typically bring at least one lithium-ion-battery-powered product onboard (2024 report; ULSE passenger measure). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
TRIP includes travel-process locations beyond airborne flight.
Location category is distinct from onboard aircraft incidents.
Approximate wording in source; denominator is aircraft incidents.
Self-reported behavior; not the share of all checked bags.
Survey-based typical behavior estimate.
How airline battery incidents progress: warning signs, fire and thermal runaway
- 85% of reported 2023 incidents were addressed at warning signs before full thermal runaway (ULSE TRIP incidents). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- 15% of reported 2023 incidents resulted in fire or explosion (ULSE TRIP incidents). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- The 2023 TRIP report attributes 35% of passenger-flight incidents to vaping devices, the largest device category (passenger flights in TRIP). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- The FAA passenger series recorded 3 incidents in 2012, when the chart’s event definition included smoke, fire or extreme heat (passenger aircraft). (An Evaluation of Fire Containment…)
- The peer-reviewed study identifies fire as the most commonly reported incident characteristic in its 274-record population (1996–July 2019; U.S. commercial air transportation). (Analysis of Thermal Runaway Incidents…)
Warning signs include overheating and smoking; voluntary reporting population.
Outcome category in the report; not a measure of aircraft loss.
Category ranking is within voluntary reports.
Repeated here as an outcome-definition anchor for the series; not a new population.
Ranking is reported in the abstract without a percentage.
Airline battery incident rates, passenger behavior and reporting limits
- Approximately 180,000 flights occurred in U.S. airspace per week in the ULSE comparison (2023 report). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- TRIP incidents rose 28% over the five years from 2019 to 2023 (2019–2023; ULSE TRIP database). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- TRIP incident rates per 100,000 passenger departures rose almost 65% from 2019 to 2023 (2019–2023; passenger departures covered by TRIP/BTS comparison). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- FAA data showed a 42% increase in lithium-ion battery fires from 2019 to 2023 (2019–2023; FAA incident data). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- The ULSE TRIP program comprised 35 passenger and cargo airlines in the associated report coverage (2024 report). (Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their…)
- The FAA passenger-aircraft series counted 61 incidents in 2023, versus 63 in 2022 (2022–2023; passenger aircraft). (An Evaluation of Fire Containment…)
- FAA rules allow passenger-aircraft batteries of 0–100 Wh, subject to applicable conditions (current FAA guidance accessed 2026-10-04; passenger aircraft). (Lithium Battery Resources)
- Batteries from 101–160 Wh require air-carrier approval under the FAA guidance summarized on the resource page (current FAA guidance accessed 2026-10-04; passenger aircraft). (Lithium Battery Resources)
- Batteries exceeding 160 Wh are forbidden on passenger aircraft under the FAA guidance summarized on the resource page (current FAA guidance accessed 2026-10-04). (Lithium Battery Resources)
Contextual denominator from the report; not restricted to flights represented in TRIP.
Database trend; voluntary participation and reporting practices may change.
Rate uses a combined comparison described in the report; datasets have different coverage.
Report says FAA and TRIP inputs differ; do not treat as identical series.
Program participation is voluntary and does not represent every airline.
Annual chart counts; not normalized by departures.
Regulatory allowance band, not an incident statistic.
Approval rule, not an incident rate.
Regulatory threshold, not a measured incident outcome.