CHRISTMAS holiday travellers are being warned about the danger of crushing their smart phone while flying.
Smart phones can fall into aircraft seat mechanisms and be crushed when the seat is moved.
As if that wasn't bad enough, damage to the phone's lithium battery can cause it to overheat and catch fire.
Damaged and lost phones have been nominated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority as the biggest dangerous goods safety risk in 2016 with nine recent emergency events.
Airlines are briefing passengers not to move their seat if a phone is dropped or lost and aircraft manufacturers are looking at seat designs.
The increasing number of crushed phones on aircraft is being caused by the slim design of smart phones and the risk of fire is higher due to more powerful batteries.
Passengers should never move their seat if a phone goes missing but should ask the aircraft cabin crew for help. If a phone is damaged cabin crew should be alerted immediately.
Spare batteries must never be carried in checked luggage at any time but should be taken on board aircraft in carry-on baggage with the battery terminals protected.
CASA has an app to inform airline passengers about dangerous goods safety available from the Apple or Google play store.
