Cathay Pacific Cargo says it has started using a new fire containment bag that allows it to safely fly standalone shipments of lithium-ion batteries on its freighters.
The embargo on battery shipments on Cathay Pacific’s passenger aircraft remains.
“These new fire containment bags have been thoroughly tested and meet our stringent safety requirements, and they have also been approved by the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA),” said cargo products manager Alex Leung, in the carrier’s customer magazine.
He added: “We are continually looking at new solutions that will cater for bigger battery sizes and bigger quantities, such as those used in the electric car industry.”
Cathay Pacific also explained that the fire containment bags are not certified to carry non-rechargeable lithium metal batteries.
Meanwhile, the Hong Kong based airline has appointed James Conlin as the new head of cargo global partnerships, replacing Jeanette Mao.
