‘In-flight fires’: Why airlines are banning powerbanks
Popular international airline has become the first to ban using/charging portable batteries while in flight.
Cathay Pacific has become the latest airline to crack down on passengers using or charging portable batteries while in flight.
The ban, which also applies to Cathay’s low-cost arm HK Express and rival Hong Kong Airlines, means passengers will no longer be able to use the portable battery packs on board, or charge them through plane power outlets from April 7.
They will still be allowed in carry-on luggage but cannot be stored in carry-on luggage in overhead lockers – they must remain with the passenger at their seat.
Cathay is just the latest Asian airline to tighten the rules around the portable batteries, which many travellers might consider an essential on long-haul flights.
Singapore Airlines has similar rules from April 1, while Scoot, Thai Airways, Air Asia and China Airways are also tightening regulations. All South Korean airlines, including Korean Air and Asiana, are also following suit, as are Taiwan’s main airlines.
“We recognise the importance of continuous improvement in aviation safety and support measures to reduce risks associated with the use of lithium battery-powered devices,” Cathay Pacific said this week.
Thai Airways said its ban, which took effect in mid-March, followed “incidents of in-flight fires on international airlines, suspected to be linked to power bank usage”.
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They have included a dramatic emergency with an Air Busan plane at a South Korean airport in January.
South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said a portable power bank with a lithium battery was thought to be a possible cause of the blaze that engulfed the plane as it awaited takeoff, with 176 people on board. Miraculously, no one was killed and only three people suffered minor injuries.
Investigators found “multiple electrical melting marks from the remains of a power bank”, the ministry said.
It has extended the ban to storing e-cigarettes in overhead luggage bins.
Elsewhere, a Hong Kong Airlines flight from the Chinese city of Hangzhou was recently forced to divert after a portable charging device reportedly triggered a fire in an overhead compartment.
Australia’s main airlines are yet to ban using or charging lithium batteries mid-flight, though they do have rules around carrying them on board.
“While we don’t recommend passengers use power banks onboard, they are not prohibited by aviation regulation except for take-off and landing,” Qantas says in its official advice to passengers.
See the advice for Jetstar here, and Virgin Australia here.
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Jetstar’s advice on dangerous goods, including portable batteries. Source: Jetstar
What’s the problem with lithium batteries?
Travellers often use power banks to keep mobile devices juiced up while on the go –they can be a god-send for those wanting to while away the hours either in the air or in airports.
Manufacturer issues, misuse and aging can heighten the risk from the batteries, which use flammable materials, potentially posing a fire danger on flights.
CNN reports the US Federal Aviation Administration has recorded more than 500 in-flight lithium battery incidents involving smoke, fire or extreme heat in the past two decades.
On the ground, Fire and Rescue NSW says portable lithium-ion batteries – also common in devices such as scooters, ebikes and golf carts – have become a leading fire hazard in recent years.
“Lithium-ion batteries contain a massive amount of energy in a relatively small space. When lithium-ion batteries fail, that energy is rapidly released which can create explosions, highly toxic fumes and secondary ignitions even after the flames have been extinguished,” it says.
RMIT University associate professor Chrystal Zhang said lithium-ion batteries were commonly used in power banks due to their high energy density and relatively low cost.
“The damage [potentially] caused as a consequence of that is so huge, like the recent incident by Air Busan – the aircraft had to be completely written off,” she said.
She said airlines were adapting rules as mobile devices and power banks became more prevalent.
“An analogy I would like to use is the volume of the liquid that you’re allowed to take on board … There is regulation applicable, there’s a framework, but when it comes to execution, there’s always differences [in the individual airline’s implementation],” she said.
Zhang also expects Australian airlines to review their rules.
“I think Qantas really has a reputation for its safety, and I think they can’t afford for this kind of accident … so I do see that kind of a trend,” she said.
