Why Asian airlines tighten the rules for the use of electricity banks on flights

A flight from Hong Kong Airlines from Hangzhou in China on March 20 had to make an emergency landing in Fujian after a fire broke out in an overhead compartment.

It was only the recent fire in a plane that was suspected that it was caused by a portable charger, which was also called Power Bank. A flood of such incidents recently led to considerable security concerns in the aviation industry and caused the airlines and the supervisory authorities to implement stricter regulations.

Airlines in South Korea and airlines in Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore have introduced new regulations to improve security.

The incident on March 20th caused the civil aviation department in Hong Kong to prevent passengers from using flights on the flights from April 7th.

The passengers are still allowed to take electricity banks in hand luggage, added the department, which, however, have to keep the devices under sitting or in sitting pockets and not in overhead compartments. “The passengers are recommended to inquire about relevant airlines in the latest regulations before their flight.”

“We recognize how important the continuous improvement of the security and support measures of aviation is reduced to reduce risks in connection with the use of lithium battery devices,” said Cathay Pacific. “Cathay will comply with the regulations.”

From March 1st, South Korea established stricter rules for wearing portable batteries on flights after a fire on a flight aircraft on January 28th. The incident had occurred when the flight prepared to take Gimhae Airport in South -South Korea to Hong Kong.

In the revised rules it says that a passenger can wear a maximum of five portable batteries with a capacity of up to 100 watt hours. Batteries of more than 160 watt hours are strictly prohibited.

In the case of security checks, according to the Ministry of Transport, the number and type of batteries that passengers bring on board will no longer be permitted, while the loading of electricity banks on flights are no longer permitted.

In accordance with a similar guideline adopted by Air Busan, the new rules also prohibit the storage of power banks or e-cigarettes in overhead cabin containers.

The Ministry says that the rules aim to alleviate risks from portable battery beaches, although the exact cause of the air -Busan fire does not yet have to be determined. According to the airline, a flight attendant noticed the fire for the first time in an overhead luggage structure in the back of the aircraft.

At the beginning of this month, a Batik Air flight filled up shortly before landing in Bangkok with smoke from a burning power bench, which was panicked by the passengers. Smoke from an overhead luggage compartment and flight attendant, who worked to locate the source and delete the fire, showed up on social media.

Prohibit global aviation standards to put batteries into a checked luggage because they can ignite heavy fires due to damage or manufacturing errors.

South Korean airlines such as Korean Air and Asiana Airlines now prohibit passengers to check in lithium-ion batteries. According to the updated rules of the Ministry of Transport, such batteries must be covered with adhesive tape or placed in plastic bags to prevent contact with metal.

In a similar way, Taiwan’s Eva Airways prohibits the use and loading of electricity banks and replacement lithium batteries on flights. However, you can carry passengers in your hand luggage if you are “kept properly to prevent compression or damage”.

The same rules apply to flights from China Airlines that fly from Incheon Airport in South Korea. “The ports of electricity banks should be covered with insulating tape or protective covers or placed in transparent cable car bag or protective bag and preferred on person or in the sitting pocket,” said the airline in an updated travel advice on February 27.

Thai Airways and Air Asia have been using similar regulations since March 15. Singapore Airlines banned the use of portable batteries on the flights from April 1.

The Thailand civil aviation authority says that power banks are prohibited in the luggage checked. Similar to the Hong Kong ban, however, these devices are still permitted in the cabin, but cannot be used during the flight.

Sonya Brown, senior lecturer for aerospace design at the University of New South Wales, Australia, said that lithium-ion batteries used in electricity banks contained materials that could be highly reactivated and flammable.

“Lithium batteries could work as a source of ignition or as a fuel source for a fire initiated elsewhere,” she told CNN.

“The potential risk as a source of ignition is increased when the lithium batteries are damaged, swollen, manufacturing errors, overloaded or overheated.”

Lo Kok Keung, an experienced mechanical engineer and former lecturer at Polytechnic University, supported the new measures and told the South Chinese morning post that even stricter steps should be taken into account.

“It would be best if there could be a flat -rate ban to bring portable electricity banks into a flight. They are like a time bomb, but nobody knows when it will explode,” said Lo. “A Power Bank is not an essential accessories. You do not have to charge your phone during the flight if you have fully calculated it before getting in. Even if you travel to overseas, you can charge your phone or devices in the hotel.

In order to be safe, experts suggest that passengers check the specific guidelines of your airline for power banks to ensure compliance with compliance and keep them in hand luggage-preferably in your person and not in overhead subjects-and avoid using them in flights unless the airline.