Lithium-ion batteries don't cause airplane fires – improper packaging and handling of them does.

That's the argument the Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA) is making in opposing a call from an airline pilot's union to ban the shipment of lithium ion batteries on flights.

The Air Line Pilots Association says that the batteries are a danger, citing several cases where they have caused fires on airplanes, and has asked the Federal Aviation Administration to keep them out of planes (see USA Today story).

But PRBA says that the instances of battery fires on planes involved shipments that didn't meet U.S. hazardous materials handling regulations. It has asked FAA and the Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to update its battery shipping rules accordingly.

PRBA is made up of major battery makers Energizer, Panasonic, SAFT America, Sanyo and Varta Batteries, which have an obvious stake in keeping the skies friendly to battery transport. The group argued that banning them from flights could disrupt shipments of batteries for military and medical purposes, as well as broader commercial transportation.

The argument highlights an ongoing controversy over the safety of the cutting-edge battery chemistry. While lithium-ion batteries are widely used for consumer electronics and electric and hybrid vehicles, lingering concerns over their potential for "thermal runaway" have researchers busy looking at ways to keep them more stable (see What's Next in Lithium Batteries?).

A well-publicized instance of older versions of lithium-ion batteries catching fire in laptops led computer companies to recall several million units in 2006. More recently reports have emerged of lithium-ion powered iPhones exploding in France, though details are sketchy.