New restrictions on the transport of Powerbank on some Asian companies they will come into force starting from April 1, 2024. Several vectors have decided to prohibit the use and recharge of these devices on board, while others regulate their positioning to reduce fire risks. The measure was adopted following some recent accidents in Asia and presumably attributable to Powerbank on fire. One of these took place in South Korea and involved a plane of Air Busandestroyed by the flames while stopped on the track; another episode took place a few days ago on a flight of the Hong Kong Airlines Directed to Hong Kong in which, apparently, a Powerbank caught fire while he was kept in a suitcase placed in a plane of the plane.
Powerbank by plane, what are the new rules of the companies
The Lithium ion batteriescommonly used in Powerbankthey are omnipresent devices in travelers from all over the world, given their extreme utility. If damaged or defective, however, lithium -ion batteries can generate an uncontrolled reaction, with the possibility of fires or explosions. For this reason, theIcao (International Civil Aviation Organization) has The transport of lithium ion batteries that has already been in the hold since 2016 is prohibitedwhile airlines around the world require that reserve batteries are transported to hand luggage, where any problems can be identified and managed more quickly.
In South Koreathe government has strengthened the security measures and, from March 1steveryone Passengers of South Korean airlines must keep their powerbank with themavoiding storing them in the elevated storage compartments. TO Taiwancompanies like Eva Air And China Airlines they have The use and recharge of the Powerbank during the flight is forbiddenwhile allowing its transport to higher compartments. Thai Airways He adopted a similar policy, citing fire accidents that could be connected to the use of these devices. Singapore Airlines And Scoot have announced a similar ban, while Malaysia Airlines has established that, from April 1stPowerBank can no longer be used or recharged on board and must be transported exclusively in hand luggage. Also a Hong Kong The same line will be followed starting from April 7thwith new restrictions for all airlines in the area, including Cathay Pacific.
The PowerBank among the main causes of explosions
The increase in restrictions applied to Powerbank is due to the growing number of accidents related to lithium -ion batteries aboard the planes, the last one that took place around March 20, 2025. In 2023the Faa (Federal Aviation Administration) he recorded 84 cases of overheating or fire of batteries on commercial flightsmore than double compared to 32 episodes reported in 2016. The PowerBank were among the main causes of these events, followed by electronic cigarettes.
The potential danger of lithium ion batteries is linked to their structure: each battery contains cells which, if overloaded, exposed to extreme heat or manufactured with defects, can enter a chain reaction known as “Thermal escape”. This phenomenon can generate high temperatures, toxic gas leakage and, in the most serious cases, fires and explosions.
To prevent accidents, the airlines impose that any defective or overheating batteries are immediately identified. If a device emits smoke or overheat, the cabin crew intervenes using Thermal containment bags or immersing it in water to cool it.
