Lap Top On Fire On Jet Blue Flight

The powers that be have been discussing banning laptops on flights----and just now a Jet Blue plane had to perform an emergency landing because someone's laptop started on fire.

But I'm concerned a laptop could do the same thing in the luggage hold. At least the flight crew saw it and responded to it. Down below, a laptop on fire will take awhile to announce itself.

I'm all for safe flying, but there's nothing like being able to work on a long flight.

Do you think laptops are really a huge threat to flying? And has this just sealed the deal?

a reply to: MRuss

Are there more laptop fires, than their are human spontaneous combustion fires?

a reply to: MRuss

It seems it wasn't a laptop that was on fire, it was a laptop charger.

She says the smoke came from a portable laptop charger in a back-pack. Source

a reply to: MRuss

But I'm concerned a laptop could do the same thing in the luggage hold. At least the flight crew saw it and responded to it. Down below, a laptop on fire will take awhile to announce itself.

With the ban, they've been talking about putting laptops in checked luggage. I've thought the same as you - why have it on the plane at all, if it could blow up?
Doesn't make sense.

a reply to: MRuss

Sounds like a scare story designed to prepare people for the soon to be introduced ban on laptopts. I remember the old days when people used to smoke on planes (not the spontaneous combustion kind) and there was never a problem. Well, apart from all the smoke of course.

Perhaps the battery manufacturer should be sued for defective materials instead of blaming an innocent laptop?

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Cheap Chinese batteries are dangerous because the production quality is not there. It may have been the charger just shorted out it's own batter because it was cheaply made.

In a company I worked for we did a lot of testing of Lithium Polymer batteries. Different batteries had different internal resistance levels depending on the quality of the manufacturing process. Where this comes into play is how fast you charge or discharge the battery it will get really hot from the resistance.

There is another technology of LiPoly batteries called LiFE batteries (A123). These batteries are made with a different manufacturing process have much lower resistant values. They are much safer. If the laptop batteries catching on fire is a problem then companies should use LiFE batteries. This could be done with government regulation. It's too bad having government regulations for safety are now politically incorrect. It's politically incorrect to say government has a role in anything having to do with commerce.

Let's break this down to what caused the fire ... the battery

They can start a fire yes ... easy really in fact it's hard not to set them on fire without a charge chip to do it

So how often do the chips fail ... about as often as u hear about any portable electronic catch on fire

There was a flight out of china to the USA with a pallet of batteries and what ever was stored on top leaked and started a fire now they ship them on boats


We can fix laptops take the battery out put in fire proof bag ... but every rechargeable battery has the same risk... that means every single cellphone

The risk is small If they ban them for it fine bye me I hate flying... I really really like the ground and I vape so I always have a pocket full of 18650s ... there pretty hard to get on a plane

The proposed ban has nothing to do with laptops catching on fire.

They're concerned that bomb-making technology has advanced to the point where ISIS (or someone else) can put a bomb in a laptop computer, and it'll evade security screenings.

a reply to: MRuss

The laptop ban is only for certain international flights. They aren't talking about a domestic ban yet. As for this incident, laptop and phone chargers have occasionally been problems on aircraft for years. The charging system on the aircraft occasionally doesn't play well with the charger and leads to thermal runaway.

originally posted by: AndyFromMichigan
The proposed ban has nothing to do with laptops catching on fire.

They're concerned that bomb-making technology has advanced to the point where ISIS (or someone else) can put a bomb in a laptop computer, and it'll evade security screenings.

Shoes with heels are next. Maybe baby bottles and formula will be banned. And don't forget fake pretzels!

originally posted by: snowspirit
a reply to: MRuss

But I'm concerned a laptop could do the same thing in the luggage hold. At least the flight crew saw it and responded to it. Down below, a laptop on fire will take awhile to announce itself.

With the ban, they've been talking about putting laptops in checked luggage. I've thought the same as you - why have it on the plane at all, if it could blow up?
Doesn't make sense.

Do laptops often catch fire or explode when not connected to a power source or with the battery removed? I'm asking a serious question because it would seem these sort of incidents only occur when the device is powered on..

a reply to: PorteurDeMort

It's usually the charger, not the laptop or phone itself. The charger overheats because of the aircraft electrical system, and if it's put away around something that can catch fire, it starts smoking or catches fire resulting in an emergency landing.

originally posted by: PorteurDeMort

originally posted by: snowspirit
a reply to: MRuss

But I'm concerned a laptop could do the same thing in the luggage hold. At least the flight crew saw it and responded to it. Down below, a laptop on fire will take awhile to announce itself.

With the ban, they've been talking about putting laptops in checked luggage. I've thought the same as you - why have it on the plane at all, if it could blow up?
Doesn't make sense.

Do laptops often catch fire or explode when not connected to a power source or with the battery removed? I'm asking a serious question because it would seem these sort of incidents only occur when the device is powered on..

Well when they over heat there i's two causes a short meaning are battery is grounded on something causing it to get hot. Or its in use and it doesn't get rid of the heat gast enough such as having it covered .

I was thinking the same thing myself! how convenient!



a reply to: LightSpeedDriver

Interesting perspective! Thanks for sharing that.



a reply to: dfnj2015

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

They're concerned that bomb-making technology has advanced to the point where ISIS (or someone else) can put a bomb in a laptop computer, and it'll evade security screenings.

Then better hope the vicious "T" have never been fan of this old serie: UFO (TV Series) The Psychobombs (1970)

a reply to: MRuss

It's more than just convenient, it's a very real thing. French investigators have thermal runaway of an iPhone and iPad in the cockpit as one possible cause of the EgyptAir crash last year.

If you look at the income structure for airlines the lions share of money comes from business class.
Coach travelers are just seat fillers.
If you then ban business laptops you will push businesses to switch to tele-conferencing.

This would kill the airlines financially and force flight cuts and major fare hikes.
NY to LA would cost $2500-3000 for coach.
That would kill tourism too.

Banning laptops is the last thing they want to do.

originally posted by: samkent
If you look at the income structure for airlines the lions share of money comes from business class.
Coach travelers are just seat fillers.
If you then ban business laptops you will push businesses to switch to tele-conferencing.

This would kill the airlines financially and force flight cuts and major fare hikes.
NY to LA would cost $2500-3000 for coach.
That would kill tourism too.

Banning laptops is the last thing they want to do.

For sure that's why the Trump administration is getting so much pushback on this.

As usual, we'll have to wait until terrorists actually bring down a plane with such a bomb before action is taken.

a reply to: MRuss

Threat?

As long as they dont say SAMSUNG on them.