Notice on the use of halon as an extinguishing agent in the passenger cabin

• The European regulation sets 31 December as the deadline for the use of portable extinguishing agents with the types of halon 1211 and 2402.
• The competent authority in this area is the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO), as it is considered a substance that deteriorates the ozone layer.

Madrid, 19 de diciembre de 2025 (AESA)

The State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) reports that Regulation (EU) 2024/590 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 February 2024 on substances that deplete the ozone layer sets deadlines for certain critical uses of  halon as an extinguishing agent.

In particular, Annex V thereto on critical uses of halons referred to in Article 9(1) sets 31 December 2025 as the end date for the use of portable fire extinguishers with halon types 1211 and 2402 for the protection of passenger and flight cabins.

The European Commission interprets that aircraft complying with aviation safety rules can continue to operate as they have until now, although there is an inherent infringement of Regulation (EU) 2024/590, as they have not replaced fire extinguishers in good time. It is therefore up to the Member States to exercise their power to enforce the provisions of this Regulation in their territories. 

As reported by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO), the competent authority in this area in Spain, those responsible for the affected aircraft must establish a timetable for replacing halon in portable fire extinguishers for the protection of passenger and flight cabins, including certain information about it, and communicate it as soon as possible to the Subdirectorate-General for Pollution Prevention for approval, to the mailbox: bzn-sgpc@miteco.es.

In the following link to the MITECO website you can find all the information about it:

https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/calidad-y-evaluacion-ambiental/temas/productos-quimicos/sustancias-agotan-capa-ozono/prohibicion-del-uso-del-halon-12110.html   

Finally, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has clarified that non-compliance with Regulation (EU) 2024/590 for halon extinguishers after the cut-off date does not affect the airworthiness of the aircraft and does not oblige Member States to immobilise an aircraft. You can expand this information in the following news published on the EASA website:

https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/newsroom-and-events/news/end-year-milestone-phase-out-halon-extinguishers