Guyana aviation authority to review e-cigarette fire warnings

Mar 05, 2015 News

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… local service providers to investigate possible dangers
There is no room for error in the aviation sector, regulators have often said, and that’s

why the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is taking no chance with the possible danger surrounding electronic cigarettes onboard aircraft.
With international recommendations warning against the possession of electronic cigarettes in checked luggage and even in carry on travel cases, regional authorities are said to be keeping an eye on the development.
Some electronic smoking devices are said to be fire hazards since their heating mechanism can be combustible. Guyana and other Caribbean destinations serviced by the regional air carrier, LIAT will have to adhere to new regulations that effectively prohibit the possession of electronic or e-cigarettes in checked luggage.
The Caribbean carrier announced on Tuesday that e-cigarettes will be prohibited in checked luggage, and warned against the item in carry-ons following recommendations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States.
This is because the smoking device had caused two separate fires: one occurring on a grounded flight and the other in a baggage storage area. Citing the FAA recommendation, LIAT said that “e-cigarettes are a fire risk”.
“E-cigarettes mainly use lithium cells to heat liquid nicotine into a vapour and these devices have, in some instances, overheated or caught fire when the heating element was accidentally activated.”
The electronic cigarette or Personal Vaporizer (PV) is a battery-powered vaporizer which has a similar feel to tobacco smoking. The device does not contain tobacco, although it uses nicotine from tobacco plants.
E-cigarettes do not produce cigarette smoke but rather an aerosol which is frequently, but inaccurately referred to as vapour. Generally, e-cigarettes have a heating element that atomizes a liquid solution called e-liquid.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette – cite_note-Weaver2014-5 This is usually a mixture of chemicals and flavourings. Some e-cigarettes are also rechargeable and these too are dangerous, having been the source of several domestic fires reported in the US.
The GCAA has noted, however, that the FAA has not put out an official statement on the issue, but it is “definitely” an area of concern for the local agency. The Director General, Zulphicar Mohamed, said that he is unaware of the working of the considerably new piece of equipment, but given the recent reports, he will have his security and safety personnel look into the matter to determine whether recommendations or new regulations should be put in place to address this matter.
The US has warned all airlines operating within the country’s airspace to safeguard against the smoking device.
This means that airlines that service Guyana and travel to US destinations will have to adhere to the regulation.  Some of the more popular local air service providers, Dynamic Air and Fly Jamaica, have already registered their intention to address the new development.
A Fly Jamaica representative told the newspaper yesterday that the airline’s executives are aware of the matter and will soon issue a release to state their policy on the possession of the device. Dynamic Airways local representative Captain Gerry Gouveia said he was initially unaware of the FAA warning but he will make inquires as to any stated policy in this regard. He noted, however, that any decision on the issue will come from the company’s foreign-based head office.
Caribbean Airlines’ representatives were not so easily accessed.
One fire incident involved e-cigarettes packed in a passenger’s checked bag in the cargo hold of a Jet Blue flight in Boston. The fire forced an evacuation of the aircraft.
In the second incident, a checked bag that had missed its flight was found to be on fire in a baggage area at the Los Angeles International Airport in January. Emergency responders said the device had overheated.
LIAT noted that airport security in the territories where they operate have not yet confirmed a unified stance on the carriage of e-cigarettes in carry-on baggage. The airline therefore recommended that passengers do not carry e-cigarettes on the flights in case airport security decides to remove them.
A US news agency had reported that emergency responders have also blamed e-cigarettes for a number of domestic fires sparked by overcharged devices.
Last December, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, issued a similar recommendation pertaining to e-cigarettes. (Zena Henry)

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