All Nippon Airways (ANA) has developed a fire-resistant storage bag that can prevent fires in aircraft cabins caused by overheated batteries in electronic devices.
The Japanese airline jointly developed the special bag along with Kikuchi Sheet Industries (Kikuchi Sheet), and TOPPAN Corporation.
Portable electronics brought onboard aircraft can be a fire hazard due to faulty or damaged batteries, worn insulation, or damaged wiring. Lithium batteries in particular can overheat, short-circuit, or catch fire if they are damaged, poorly manufactured or misused.
The need for a safer storage option for electronics was suggested by ANA cabin crew in response to recent incidents on other airlines involving fire and smoke from deteriorating or poor quality lithium-ion batteries.
In February 2024, a Royal Air Philippines flight had to perform an emergency landing when a passenger’s power bank exploded mid-air. In March 2024, a Breeze Airways flight was forced to divert when a laptop caught fire while being used by a passenger.
According to ANA, the storage bags are unique because they combine TOPPAN’s “FSfilm” technology, which releases a fire-extinguishing aerosol in response to heat, and Kikuchi’s fire resistant bag, which is designed to quickly and safely prevent fire risks from electronic equipment that shows signs of abnormal heat generation or deformation.
The fire resistant bags are already currently in use on ANA aircraft, including aircraft operated by AirJapan and ANA Wings. By January 2025, the bags will be open for commercial purchase on ANA’s trading website.