While the US ban of foreign laptops was lifted several months ago, there are still concerns about laptops being on airplanes. The waning days of October ushered in a new wave of laptop-flight concern. The FAA discovered that the lithium-ion batteries found in most laptops have the potential to become fire starters if they overheat while placed next to the wrong luggage, such as hairspray or any other type of aerosol container, polish remover, hand sanitizer, and rubbing alcohol.
The Office of Hazardous Materials safety has also looked into the dangers which can be caused by battery-powered devices, and recorded 132 cases of fires and/or smoke being caused by batteries. Furthermore, the Royal Aeronautical Society has documented three cases where airplanes have crashed due to these fires. The following three recommendations are being touted by the FAA for travelers on international flights, but please note that the level of enforcement of the following recommendations on domestic flights is unclear.