Singapore Airlines to ban passengers from using power banks

From April 1, travellers will not be allowed to charge devices like smartphones using a power bank, and they will also be stopped from charging a power bank through the onboard USB ports.

Passengers will still be able to bring a power bank onto the plane, but it must be stowed in their carry-on bags. The new policy also affects customers on its budget brand, Scoot.

It follows a fire which ripped through an Air Busan plane in South Korea earlier this year. The blaze has been blamed on a lithium-based battery in a power bank overheating. None of the passengers or crew were seriously injured.

In a statement on Wednesday, Singapore Airlines said: “The SIA Group complies with the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations regarding the carriage of power banks, which are classified as lithium batteries.

“This means power banks must be carried in cabin baggage on all SIA flights and are not permitted in checked baggage. Customers may bring power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh without special approval, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval.”

EVA Air, Air China and Thai Airways are some of the airlines which have now banned the use of power banks. South Korean airlines, including Air Busan and Korean Air, have gone a step further and stopped passengers from storing them in the overhead bins. They now need to be placed in the seat pocket.