ANOTHER airline has banned a popular travel item being used onboard – and it affects British travellers.
Singapore Airlines has confirmed that passengers will be banned from using power banks in the cabin.
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The new rules follow a number of other airlines that have introduced the strict ban.
It comes after a power bank caught on fire in Korea on a taxiing Air Busan flight.
While passengers were able to safety evacuate, the aircraft was so badly damaged it was taken out of use.
And Singapore Airlines has since said that from April 1, power banks will no longer be able to be used onboard.
A statement from the airline states: “Effective 1st April 2025, Singapore Airlines customers will not be allowed to charge portable power banks via the onboard USB ports, or use power banks to charge their personal devices, throughout the duration of the flight.”
The airline has not banned power banks from being taken into the cabin – only used – so passengers will have to use the in-seat USB sockets to charge devices instead.
And its lower cost airline Scoot is also inline with these new rules.
Singapore Airlines currently operates a number of routes from the UK, so British travellers should be aware of the new rules.
The major airline – once named the best in the world – currently has flights form both London Heathrow and London Gatwick to Singapore as well as Manchester.
A number of other airlines have introduced the power bank ban in recent months.
Air Busan was the first to introduce the ban, becoming the first airline in the world to do so.
Enforced back in February, it was one of the strictest rules as passengers are not allowed to even have power banks in their cabin bags.
Instead they must be kept on the passengers person at all time, to prevent any fires breaking out in the overhead lockers.
Taiwanese airline Eva Air then banned the use of power banks onboard which has been enforced since March 1.
This was also joined by China Airlines, with the ban also in place from March.
Thai Airways and AirAsia followed the ban from March 15.
The risk of fire comes from unregulated power banks bought online, which are more prone to combusting.
Other items banned from hand luggage
- Sharp Objects – Knives, scissors (blades over 6cm), razor blades.
- Flammable Items – Lighters, matches, petrol, fireworks.
- Large Liquids – Liquids over 100ml (except essentials like baby food or medicine).
- Weapons – Firearms, stun guns, self-defence sprays, martial arts gear.
- Explosives – Gas canisters, flares, smoke bombs.
- Tools – Hammers, drills, saws.
- Hazardous Substances – Chemicals, poisons, radioactive materials.
A number of incidents onboard have been pinned to power bank fires.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said more than three incidents every fortnight related to power banks were reported last year.
Last year, a fire broke out on an Asiana Airlines flight because of an overheating power bank.
Aerospace design lecturer Sonya Brown told Australian media: “When lithium-ion batteries start to deteriorate, they often expand, which is a key indicator that the battery should not be used anymore.
“Having them with people waiting to be detected sooner is safer.”
Here are some other power bank rules you need to know about when packing them in your luggage.
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