Empfingen, 30th May 2018. Whether smartphones, laptops, tablets or even e-cigarettes: Airline passengers bring a multitude of electronic devices with them on board today, and they contain ever-more powerful lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion batteries). Because these may spontaneously ignite on board under certain circumstances, they pose a hazard in the full sense of the term. The XBAG that appeared on the market last year puts an end to this growing danger: It immediately stops the fire and cools ignited batteries down to room temperature within a very short time.
As the crew of a Transavia flight discovered just a few days ago, sometimes the risk doesn’t just come from passengers’ luggage. A mobile card-payment terminal with a fully charged Li-ion battery broke open and malfunctioned after falling from a flight attendant’s hand to the cabin floor from a height of one meter during on-board sales. The battery and screen on the device became increasingly heated, and attempts to cool it with water were unsuccessful – until the crew finally deployed the XBAG, preemptively placed the device in it and stored it safely. By the time the plane landed, XBAG had reliably cooled the card-payment terminal down to normal temperature, successfully preventing the danger of a possible battery fire with all its consequences – such as toxic vapors in the cabin or even an emergency landing.
‘Our crew was quickly reassured and felt safe after the device had been securely stowed in the XBAG’, says Xander Pieters, Technical Purser at Transavia. ‘The employees quickly had the feeling that nothing more could go wrong. It's precisely because of incidents like this that Transavia trusts the XBAG. We are delighted to have it on board in all of the aircraft of our fleet – for the protection of our passengers and employees.’
In contrast to standard fire extinguishers, the XBAG extinguisher is based on a system that stops battery fires immediately and cools the extremely hot batteries down to room temperature within seconds. The defective devices can be stowed in the heat-resistant and explosion-proof XBAG pouch, with no liquids or toxic vapors escaping into the cabin. The extinguishing agent is harmless and biodegradable.
About XBAG GmbH:
XBAG GmbH was established in 2017 to advance development of innovative solutions for fire protection. Behind this startup from the German state of Baden-Württemberg is an enthusiastic team of safety experts with many years of experience in the aviation industry – and a strong partner: the globally active SACS Boysen Aerospace Group, with a tightly-knit service network and the accumulated expertise offered by an entire group of companies.
About Transavia Airlines C.V.:
Transavia is a low-cost airline that has been flying its passengers to destinations around the world for 50 years. The flight plan criss-crosses Europe and North Africa to more than 110 destinations. The fleet consists of 56 Boeing 737 aircraft, mainly of the 737-800 type. Since 2003, Transavia has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of KLM, which in turn belongs to the Air France-KLM Group.