To address these questions, let's first understand lithium batteries. Why does the company classify lithium batteries as dangerous goods for air transport? This is because if one lithium battery short-circuits and overheats, a chain reaction occurs, rapidly spreading to other lithium batteries. These overheated batteries then continuously release explosive flammable gases (primarily hydrogen), potentially causing an explosion—an extremely dangerous situation. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recently conducted tests on lithium batteries; for details, please see: Lithium Batteries: High Risk of Air Transport, Three Major U.S. Authorities Reject Large Quantities of Lithium Batteries. Therefore, the company classifies lithium batteries as dangerous goods for air transport.
So, why can't lithium batteries be transported by air?
Why can't lithium batteries be transported by air? Company policy states that passengers carrying electronic products containing lithium batteries are not allowed to check them in as baggage. However, passengers can carry such electronic products, such as mobile phones, cameras, and laptops, in their carry-on baggage. Each passenger is limited to a maximum of two spare batteries and must take precautions to prevent short circuits. In other words, lithium batteries or electronic products containing lithium batteries cannot be checked in on passenger planes.
So, how is it possible for lithium batteries to be transported by air?
As mentioned above, lithium batteries or electronic products containing lithium batteries cannot be checked in on passenger planes. So what about freighters? Is it different? Yes, freighters have much more lenient restrictions than passenger planes because cargo undergoes strict sorting and palletizing during loading, minimizing risk. Unlike passenger planes where many different types of cargo are piled together, the risk is significantly increased if dangerous goods are included. iPhones manufactured by Foxconn in China and laptops made in Chongqing, which contain lithium batteries, are transported worldwide via freighters. Therefore, lithium batteries can be transported by freighters.
Therefore, if you have lithium batteries or electronic products containing lithium batteries, and the shipment volume is large, and if there are all-cargo flight routes to your destination, then air freight is still an option. Interested parties can contact our company for dedicated air freight services and excellent international air freight services!
