March 17, 2025, 8:57 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Just two months ago, an Air Busan plane burned down in South Korea. It is now clear that the fire was caused by a power bank in hand luggage. In response, Asian airlines, in particular, are now introducing stricter rules for carrying power banks.
Ever since the incident on January 28, in which an Air Busan A321 aircraft in South Korea almost completely burned out, it has been clear that power banks on board pose a major safety risk. Fortunately, the 169 passengers and seven crew members were brought to safety in time in the incident described. In order to avoid such incidents in the future and prevent fires caused by power banks in the cabin, several airlines are now responding with stricter safety regulations. Below, you can find out which airlines are affected and which rules will apply in the future.
Use of Power Banks Banned by Several Airlines
Since March 1, South Korean airlines have had stricter rules for carrying portable batteries. In the future, passengers will be allowed to take a maximum of five power banks on board, each of which should not exceed a capacity of up to 100 watt-hours. They may not be used to charge devices during the flight, nor may the power bank itself be charged. They must also always be within easy reach, i.e., they must not be stowed in the overhead compartment.
According to the Handelsblatt, Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary Scoot have now also introduced these stricter rules. This also applies to passengers of the airline flying from Frankfurt or Berlin to Southeast Asia, among others. The new regulation is set to come into force on April 1, 2025. Other airlines that have joined the ban on the use of power banks in aircraft are Thai Airways, Eva Air, and China Airlines.
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Powerbanks Are Not Allowed in Checked Baggage
The transportation of power banks in checked baggage is generally prohibited. Both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the industry association IATA have spoken out in favor of this ban. Instead, power banks and spare batteries must always be carried in hand luggage, as the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) also points out. This will ensure that the aircraft crew can intervene quickly in the event of an emergency.