The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Wednesday issued a Safety Information Bulletin highlighting experts’ preference that personal electronic devices (PEDs) such as laptop computers remain in carry-on baggage and with the person carrying the device. The industry has long held that lithium batteries in PEDs pose a fire danger, and that keeping such devices in the passenger cabin allows crewmembers to “act expeditiously” in case an emergency arises.

The EASA bulletin comes less than two weeks after the U.S. and UK bans on large electronic devices in the passenger cabins of flights from several Middle Eastern and African countries took effect.  

“When the carriage of PEDs in the cabin is prohibited, this will lead to a significant increase in the number of PEDs carried in the cargo compartment, in checked baggage,” said the EASA bulletin. “This should be taken into account as part of the operator’s safety risk assessment process, and the appropriate precautions should be applied to mitigate the associated risks, such as fire in the cargo hold.”

EASA recommends that passengers completely turn off their devices before placing them in checked baggage and effectively protect them from accidental activation by disabling alarms or pre-set configurations that might activate the device. It also recommends that operators protect checked baggage from damage “by applying suitable packaging or casing” or placing the device in a rigid bag protected by adequate cushioning such as clothing.

Further guidance calls for dispersing PEDs in the cargo hold, avoiding consolidation in a single container or location and away from other dangerous goods.

ICAO technical instructions prohibit carriage of spare batteries, power banks and electronic smoking devices in checked baggage, meaning if airlines must prohibit passengers from carrying them in the passenger cabin as well, their transport will effectively be banned altogether.