The Great British obsession with vaping and portable charging has a new enemy: the cabin crew. Whitehall sources confirm the UK Civil Aviation Authority has issued an urgent classified warning to airlines. The memo, seen by this column, is blunt.
Power banks and vape batteries now pose a greater fire risk than traditional lithium-ion batteries in laptops or phones. The risk is thermal runaway. A single faulty cell can ignite a blaze in the overhead locker.
The CAA is demanding airlines update safety briefings immediately. No announcement to the public yet. That is coming.
The political game here is clear. Ministers are terrified of being seen as the nanny state. They will let airlines take the hit.
Expect mandatory announcements on flights within weeks. Quietly, the Department for Transport is reviewing carriage rules. Don't be surprised if power banks are banned from checked luggage entirely.
The Labour backbenches are already muttering about a 'fire risk scandal'. Downing Street is monitoring. For now, buy your vapes in duty-free.
Just don't charge your phone mid-flight.
