Asian Airlines Tighten Rules on Lithium Battery Use After Safety Incidents

New policies restrict charging and storage of power banks on flights in response to rising fire risks linked to lithium batteries.

South Korean airlines, including Air Busan, now require passengers to keep power banks and e-cigarettes on their person and prohibit their storage in overhead bins.
Singapore Airlines and Scoot will ban the use of power banks to charge devices or using onboard USB ports for power banks starting April 1, 2025.
Taiwan's EVA Air and China Airlines have prohibited charging and using power banks on flights since March 1, 2025, with similar rules introduced by Thai Airways effective March 15, 2025.
These measures follow incidents, such as a January fire that destroyed an Air Busan plane, with investigations suggesting a power bank may have been involved.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidelines recommend carrying power banks in cabin baggage and impose watt-hour limits, but airlines' policies remain inconsistent globally.