Complete Ban on Power Banks in South Korean Airlines Following Fire Incidents

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All domestic airlines in South Korea have implemented a complete ban on the use of power banks aboard their aircraft. This decision comes as a proactive measure in response to a series of incidents involving fires and explosions caused by power banks in the cabin.

According to the aviation industry on the 20th, Tway Air has announced that starting from the 23rd, passengers will no longer be allowed to charge power banks or use them to charge other electronic devices such as mobile phones on board.

While bringing power banks onto the aircraft is still permitted, passengers are required to take specific precautions. They must cover the terminals of their power banks with insulating tape or store them individually in a plastic bag or pouch to prevent short-circuiting. Additionally, power banks must be kept in visible locations such as the seat pocket in front of them.

With Tway Airs participation, all 11 domestic airlines operating passenger flights in South Korea have now prohibited the use of power banks on board. Previously, Eastar Jet had conducted a trial ban on power banks from October last year for three months before officially implementing the prohibition this year. Following that, Jeju Air joined the ban starting from the 22nd of last month.

Five airlines under the Hanjin Group, including Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan, and Air Seoul, started enforcing the ban on the 26th of last month. Both Air Premia and Aero K have prohibited the use of power banks since the 1st of this month. Furthermore, Parata Airlines has maintained a ban since it began operations in September of last year.

These measures have been strengthened in light of incidents that began in January of last year when a fire from a power bank occurred on an Air Busan passenger plane preparing for takeoff at Gimhae International Airport, resulting in the complete loss of the aircraft. Since then, similar incidents have continued to occur both domestically and internationally, prompting airlines to tighten cabin regulations further.

In October of last year, a China International Airlines (Air China) flight traveling from Hangzhou to Incheon made an emergency landing at Pudong International Airport due to a power bank fire. On January 8 of this year, a power bank ignited on an Asiana Airlines flight from Incheon to Hong Kong, and just two days later, another incident involving a power bank occurred on a flight departing from Sanya, Hainan Province, China.