Photo: 123rf
Singapore Airlines has become the latest international airline to ban the use of portable power banks while onboard its flights.
The airline announced the change in a statement on Wednesday, saying the restriction will start 1 April.
Here's what you need to know.
What are the rules around power banks on flights?
Several airline companies are bringing in restrictions around using portable power banks on their flights.
It means travellers will not be allowed to use the banks to charge their devices, nor charge the banks using onboard USB ports.
Airlines that have announced these restrictions include:
- Singapore Airlines
- Scoot
- Thai Airways
- South Korean Airlines
- EVA Air
- China Airlines
Where should you pack power banks?
It's best to check directly with your airline before you fly, but here are the general rules.
Any portable power banks you're taking with you must still be packed in your carry-on luggage, even if you can't use them while flying.
They are not permitted in checked baggage.
You can bring power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh without having to notify the airline.
But power banks between 100Wh and 160Wh will need special approval.
Those above 160Wh are not allowed on flights.
Why are the rules changing?
Airlines have been moving to take extra preventative measures around fire hazards.
Power banks use lithium-ion batteries, which are known to be highly flammable and difficult to extinguish.
In its statement announcing the change, Singapore Airlines said it "complies with the International Air Transport Association's Dangerous Goods Regulations" on power banks, which are classified as lithium-ion batteries.
Why don't the rules apply to all airlines?
Since 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which is the United Nations agency that coordinated aviation regulations across the world, has banned lithium-ion batteries of any kind from the cargo holds of passenger planes.
That's why you'll still be told to pack your power banks in carry-on luggage.
But there's still no industry standard for whether they can be used while in the cabin.
That means you may see some airlines deciding not to ban their use, and where there are restrictions, it might not be the same from company to company.
-This story was first published by the ABC.
