AliExpress
& New Straits Times
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MAS, in a statement on their website, said these items are no longer allowed to be brought on board as either checked-in or cabin baggage “due to safety concerns”.
This includes heat packs or self-heating packs, such as quick-and-easy hot pot, rice, and drinks.
“The safety and comfort of passengers and the crew remain of utmost importance to Malaysia Airlines,” the company said.
The technology used in self-heating meals — flameless ration heaters — involve substances such as magnesium powder, iron powder, self-burning solid carbon, or corrosive calcium oxide that release flammable gas on contact with water.
This type of chemical reaction can actually heat the food to about 100?C, without any type of visible flame.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has done a lot of testing and have stated that these should not be used on an aircraft.
In the FAA report, the release of hydrogen gas from these flameless ration heaters is of a sufficient quantity to pose a potential fire hazard for those onboard an airplane.
The flameless ration heaters could also be accidentally activated inside a confined area such as in an overhead storage bin or a cargo compartment, which could be dangerous as well.