Airlines Increasingly Banning Powerbank Use

Airlines are tightening regulations regarding the use of powerbanks. Following a serious onboard fire incident in late January, several Asian airlines have decided to prohibit passengers from using external batteries on flights.

Singapore Airlines and Scoot will ban charging mobile devices from powerbanks from April 1st, and even charging the devices themselves from onboard outlets. The company follows the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) regulations on lithium batteries, which have mandated that these devices can only be carried in hand luggage since 2016, and must not be placed in checked baggage. Passengers can carry powerbanks with a maximum capacity of 100 Wh onboard without special permission; devices between 100 Wh and 160 Wh must be declared to the airline, which may approve or deny their carriage; and devices exceeding 160 Wh are prohibited.

South Korea implemented a ban on all airlines’ flights from March 1st, where powerbanks are not even allowed in overhead compartments. South Korean airlines provide passengers with transparent bags for storing these devices to prevent short circuits.

Taiwan’s Eva Air, Thai Airways, and Air Asia have also introduced similar restrictions from early to mid-March. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has also enacted rules similar to those of Singapore.

The tightening of regulations is due to recent fire incidents. In late January, an Air Busan Airbus A321 caught fire at Busan Airport after a passenger’s powerbank ignited in an overhead compartment. Although not the first such incident, it was the most severe. Similar incidents occurred on a Lufthansa and a Scoot flight in 2023, and on a Ryanair and a China Southern Airlines flight in 2018.

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