Ryanair warning to all passengers about bringing mobile phones on board planes
RYANAIR have started warning passengers about problems that could arise from taking phones and laptops on flights.
The dangers of their electrical devices overheating while in the air is considered so serious that they are being included in the safety briefing before take-off.
The information has been added to the airline's pre-flight safety message, alongside what to do in case of emergency.
Passengers are being asked to inform flight attendants if their device overheats, or is lost in the seats.
It is thought that the new message is now a more important part of the pre-flight briefing than the part about life jackets, with the buoyancy aids only used in extreme circumstances.
With overheating devices potentially causing fires on board, they are seen as more of an immediate threat than landing in water.
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Almost every passenger on board will have at least one device containing a lithium-ion battery and some will have several.
However, with cheap batteries available online that perhaps don't meet safety standards, the risk of a phone, laptop or tablet overheating is a possibility.
The Civil Aviation Authority, who are responsible for flight safety in the UK, has warned of the risk posed by counterfeit batteries before, saying they pose a "significant risk to flight safety".
In a video created to demonstrate the danger posed by overheating in electrical devices, the CAA claim that: "Any fire on board an aircraft, particularly one involving lithium batteries, has the potential to be catastrophic."
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The CAA say that fires caused by lithium-ion batteries may even be able to dodge fire safety systems on board aircraft, and that passengers should only get new batteries from trustworthy outlets.
They said: "Lithium batteries are very safe but because of their high energy, if we don't treat them with care, or we abuse them, they can catch fire.
"It is also very important that you only buy replacement batteries from reputable sources, as poor quality or counterfeit batteries have been the cause of a number of fires on board aircraft.
"While the cargo compartments of planes are fitted with fire suppression systems, these may not be effective against lithium battery fires."
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