A number of airlines have moved to ban the use of power banks on flights, citing safety concerns after a dramatic incident in January. The bans come after a power bank was blamed for a fire that engulfed a plane in South Korea on January 28 this year.
Cathay Pacific is the latest carrier to join the likes of Singapore Airlines and Scoot in enforcing strict bans on the devices, and how they can be used and stored on flights.
The fire broke out in a luggage bin about 20 minutes after the flight was scheduled to depart, but while it was — thankfully — still on the tarmac. While all 170 passengers and six crew members were evacuated from the Airbus A321, the fire ultimately destroyed the plane.
An investigation into the incident is still ongoing and no definitive cause has been listed, but scorch marks on the battery pack may indicate the device being a possible cause of the inferno.
Earlier this week, Cathay Pacific announced a new ban on power banks — prohibiting passengers from using them to charge devices, and from charging the power banks themselves during the flight. Additionally, power banks cannot be stored in overhead bins or in checked luggage.
Similar bans are also in place with Singapore Airlines, Scoot, China Airlines, Thai Airways, Eva Air and Air Busan.
The ban is due to the fact that lithium-ion batteries — which are commonly found in electronic devices like laptops and power banks, are prone to short-circuiting and can pose a fire risk if damaged or defective. This is why there has long been a ban in place prohibiting these items from checked luggage.
Australian airlines have not yet followed suit with the bans and are adhering to the regulations set by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) — the governing body for Australian aviation.
The CASA policies are based on the guidelines set by the International Air Transport Association.
While Australian airlines have not moved to ban the use of power banks, Qantas policy currently does not recommend using the devices in-flight.
“If you’re travelling with power banks and spare or loose batteries, they must be packed into your carry-on baggage only. While we don’t recommend passengers use power banks onboard, they are not prohibited by aviation regulation except for take-off and landing,” Qantas policy states.
“Damaged (e.g. swollen) or defective lithium batteries and power banks pose significant safety risks such as overheating, fires and are forbidden to be carried.”
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