Killer Christmas present warning to air passengers

Air passengers have been warned not to pack potentially dangerous Christmas presents in their luggage following a number of incidents of baggage catching fire.

The Civil Aviation Authority (www.caa.co.uk) is urging passengers to think twice before packing or posting any items that might pose a safety risk.

Items that are potential risky include fireworks, matches, battery-operated goods and loosely packed batteries.

In May this year a passenger's bag caught fire during loading at Palma Airport due to matches that had been packed inside.

The CAA said that whilst lithium batteries don't usually pose a problem, there is a danger of fire if they are posted loose or if they are installed in equipment that is inadvertently activated.

It said there is a growing trend in the transportation of inappropriately packed batteries, which have caused a number of fires, and it is concerned that large numbers of counterfeit batteries, without the necessary inbuilt safety features, are in circulation.

Geoff Leach, Manager of the Dangerous Goods Office at the CAA, said: We are asking people to think carefully before transporting any items by air that could potentially pose a serious risk to the occupants of an aircraft.

""Whilst we are all made aware of the security restrictions imposed people still need to be reminded that some items that are relatively innocuous in everyday use are restricted from carriage on board an aircraft.""

The warning is not only to air passengers but also to those posting Christmas presents by airmail or ordering gifts from companies based overseas, which will be sent as air freight.

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