Fire containment is becoming an increasingly urgent concern for the air cargo sector as the volume of lithium-ion batteries, electronics, e-commerce shipments and other high-density energy products continues to climb.
According to Rishani Dissanayake, programme manager at AmSafe Bridport, the industry is moving beyond a simple debate over whether an onboard cargo fire could happen. The real question now is how best to contain such an event and survive it safely in flight.
Her comments align with newly published findings from UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE), which reported a 40% increase in thermal runaway incidents in air cargo since 2021. Reported cases rose from 10 incidents in 2021 to 14 in 2025.
Dissanayake said the growing risk is being driven by rapid increases in battery-related goods moving through global air freight channels. A single damaged lithium cell, she noted, can trigger a chain reaction capable of igniting a fire in dense cargo areas. At cruising altitude, the crew’s priority becomes controlling the incident long enough to secure a safe landing.
She warned that the threat is likely to intensify as battery chemistries evolve, energy densities increase and shipment volumes continue to expand.
For that reason, containment is increasingly being viewed as a core risk-management tool. AmSafe Bridport’s solution centers on fire containment covers (FCCs) for palletized cargo, made from flame- and heat-resistant materials. But Dissanayake emphasized that no single product is sufficient on its own. Effective mitigation depends on a layered strategy combining detection, suppression and physical containment.
In that model, FCCs and containment bags help create a controlled environment that can slow the spread of fire, manage heat transfer and allow smoke detection systems on the aircraft to remain functional. When combined with onboard suppression systems and, increasingly, visibility tools such as RFID or Bluetooth tracking, operators can build a more resilient multi-layer defense.
Dissanayake also stressed that deployment matters as much as design. Even the most advanced systems are only effective if they are used consistently and correctly.
AmSafe Bridport additionally offers containment bags and pouches designed for damaged, suspect or recalled lithium batteries, which present particularly elevated risk during transport.
Regulation will also play a major role in the next phase of the industry’s response. Dissanayake said many containment solutions were introduced before formal rules were in place because operators had already recognized the operational danger. She added that the company is actively involved in developing new lithium battery fire test standards expected in 2026 and intends to re-test its products once those standards are finalized.
Her broader point is that regulation alone will not solve the problem. Manufacturers, operators and regulators will need to work together if the industry is to stay ahead of a risk that is growing in both scale and complexity.
