FAA $260k Fine Against World Event Promotions for Lithium Battery Violations
Summary
The FAA proposes a $260,000 civil penalty against World Event Promotions (WEP) of Coral Gables, Florida for allegedly violating hazardous materials regulations. The company allegedly offered three shipments of lithium ion battery packs to UPS for air transport without proper documentation, classification, packaging, or labeling. One shipment was discovered smoking with a burn hole at a UPS facility in Ontario, California.
What changed
The FAA's proposed $260,000 civil penalty addresses three alleged violations involving lithium ion battery shipments offered for air transport. The violations include failure to provide required shipping paperwork, improper classification, description, packaging, marking, and labeling. Additionally, the state of charge exceeded 30% of rated capacity, and WEP failed to provide required emergency response information. The most serious incident involved a smoking shipment with a burn hole discovered at the UPS Ontario, California sorting facility.
WEP has 30 days from receipt of the FAA's enforcement letter to respond to the allegations. Regulated entities handling lithium ion batteries for air transport should verify compliance with all shipping documentation requirements, state of charge limits, packaging standards, and emergency response information provisions under hazardous materials regulations.
What to do next
- Review lithium battery shipping documentation requirements including proper classification, packaging, marking, and labeling
- Verify all lithium ion batteries offered for air transport meet the 30% state of charge limit
- Ensure required emergency response information accompanies all hazardous materials shipments
Penalties
$260,000 civil penalty proposed by FAA
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FAA Proposes $260,000 Fine Against World Event Promotions for Alleged Violation of Hazardous Materials Regulations
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $260,000 civil penalty against World Event Promotions (WEP) of Coral Gables, Florida, for allegedly violating hazardous materials regulations.
The FAA alleges WEP offered three shipments of battery packs containing lithium ion batteries to United Parcel Service (UPS) for transportation by air. Lithium ion batteries are classified as hazardous materials. In one instance, employees at the UPS sorting facility in Ontario, California, discovered the shipment was smoking, with a burn hole in the package.
The FAA alleges the materials were not accompanied by the required shipping paperwork and not properly classed, described, packaged, marked, labeled, or in the proper condition for shipment. The FAA also alleges the state of charge of the lithium ion batteries exceeded 30% of their rated capacity. Further, WEP did not provide the required emergency response information.
WEP has 30 days after receiving the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.
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