A new regulation may soon require every passenger carrying a phone or power bank to have it packed in a fire-resistant bag before boarding a flight.
Before introducing such legislation, we should study the available data.
Does this problem affect only a particular phone brand, suggesting a design issue, or does it cut across all brands and battery-powered devices? This information is necessary for a holistic assessment.
Was the phone switched off at the time of the fire incident? What is the data telling us?
Here in Nigeria, cabin crew routinely announce that passengers should switch off their phones before takeoff and landing. Yet, I can confidently say that over 70% of passengers ignore that instruction.
Personally, I don’t believe there is a significant safety risk from a phone simply being switched on during takeoff or landing. If there were, aviation authorities would enforce the rule much more strictly.
The reality is that humans are the most difficult beings to manage. Many people knowingly ignore safety rules, even when they understand the risks. After all, some people knowingly engage in self-destructive behaviour.
In summary, if future air travel requires all phones and power banks to be carried in certified fire-resistant bags, then so be it. The rule should be enforced without exception. Anyone unwilling to comply should simply choose an alternative means of transportation.
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