Singapore Airlines will prohibit the use of power banks on flights from next month

Starting from April 1, Singapore Airlines will prohibit passengers from using power banks on their flights or charging the power banks through the on-board USB port.

Following several airlines in Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and Taiwan, Singapore Airlines issued a statement on Facebook on Wednesday (March 12), announcing the ban on power banks on board.

Xinhua said the company complies with the International Air Transport Association's regulations on the transportation of dangerous goods, among which power banks are classified as lithium batteries. Therefore, passengers on all SIA flights must carry their power banks with them and cannot be checked out.

Passengers can currently carry power banks with a capacity of no more than 100Wh, without special approval; power banks with capacity of between 100Wh and 160Wh must obtain approval from the airline.

In response to Lianhe Zaobao on March 10, the Civil Aviation Administration of Singapore said that the Civil Aviation Administration regularly reviews and updates relevant regulations to deal with emerging risks and ensure that the highest safety standards are met.

Further reading

Thai Airways and AirAsia ban power banks on flights

South Korea restricts the number of power banks carried by passengers on planes

Most airlines allow up to 20 spare lithium batteries per passenger. The capacity of each spare lithium battery (including power bank) can reach up to 100Wh.

Devices with built-in lithium batteries can be carried with you or checked in. However, to prevent equipment from being damaged or accidentally starting during flight, all equipment must be kept off and stored in a separate protective case.

Spare lithium batteries not installed in the equipment: For example, power banks, camera batteries and AA lithium batteries are strictly prohibited from being placed in checked baggage and must be carried with you to board the plane. Passengers need to package these batteries separately to prevent damage or short circuits, such as storage using protective bags and covering the exposed ends with insulating tape to avoid contact with metal objects.

Lithium batteries that are damaged or defective are not allowed to be brought on the plane.

The Civil Aviation Administration stressed that charging the power bank is prohibited during critical stages of flight, such as taxiing, takeoff and landing, because the crew may not be able to deal with related accidents in a timely manner.

“If you are to be used during a flight or to charge a power bank, passengers should place the device within visible range so that it can be handled quickly in the event of an accident.”

The smart luggage is equipped with a lithium battery, which can be carried as carry-on luggage. But the lithium battery configured in the luggage must be removable to make it easier to manage and extinguish fires in case of emergencies.