Prime Highlights:
- International airlines are tightening their bans on lithium battery-operated devices such as mobile phones and power banks for safety reasons.
- There were increased reports of lithium battery overheats, and South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore have tightened restrictions to minimize the risk of fire.
Key Facts:
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has reported on average three hot lithium battery incidents in 2024 each fortnight, a quicker incidence rate than 2018 at one incidence per week.
- Singapore Airlines, Air Busan, and Cathay Pacific, among others, have now prohibited the charging and use of power banks aboard an airplane and reduced storage in overhead compartments.
Key Background
The aviation industry has long known the risk of the lithium battery from hand-held personal electronic devices like cell phones and e-cigarettes. The batteries were known to be failing, to smoke, auto-ignite, or even blow up, something that would be highly unsafe to the safety of an aircraft.
Airlines have already responded through policy actions following recent plane crashes. There was a blaze on an Air Busan plane in January and suspicion was that it was due to a power bank. As a precautionary step, Air Busan became the first airline to ban the storage of power banks in overhead compartments, to be carried on board by an individual. By 1st March, South Korean air regulators ordered all domestic carriers to implement the same safety measures, banning in-flight charging and carrying power banks in passengers’ luggage instead of cargo holds.
Hong Kong subsequently issued new rules, prohibiting its aviation authority from allowing the charging or use of power banks on board flights from April 7. This came after a suspected power bank explosion was observed on one of Hong Kong Airlines’ overhead compartments when it diverted its flight on March 20. Hong Kong’s biggest airline, Cathay Pacific, soon followed suit by stating that it also will adhere to the new law.
Singapore Airlines and its partner Scoot also updated policies. Power banks that could be utilized onboard were banned starting April 1. Airline policy update and safety have also been breakers of records.
With mounting cases of lithium batteries, carriers across the globe are taking a proactive approach by strengthening laws so as to thrust risk into check and enhance passengers as well as crew safety.
