Friday, February 7, 2025

Air Busan bans portable chargers in hand luggage after a mid-air fire forces evacuation, setting a new airline safety standard to prevent future risks.

Korean carrier Air Busan has implemented a new safety measure prohibiting portable chargers from being stored in hand luggage. While numerous airlines already restrict these devices in checked baggage, Air Busan is taking the precaution a step further by banning them from overhead compartments as well.

The policy change follows a January 28 incident, in which a plane carrying 176 passengers had to be evacuated due to a fire that reportedly originated from a portable charger. The blaze, which was detected by a flight attendant, caused irreparable damage to the aircraft.

As part of this proactive approach, passengers flying with Air Busan will now be required to carry their power banks on their person or store them in small under-seat bags.

Aviation safety experts, including Lo Kok-keung, a retired engineering professor from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, have highlighted the risks of lithium-ion batteries in-flight. Incidents involving overheated power banks have been reported on flights worldwide, prompting some airlines to enforce stringent regulations.

For instance, Ryanair limits passengers to carrying two spare lithium-ion batteries in cabin baggage, provided they are properly insulated to prevent short circuits. Additionally, flyers are warned against retrieving lost phones from seat crevices mid-flight due to fire hazards—a precaution emphasized after similar incidents occurred on United Airlines (2017) and Delta Airlines (2018).

Beyond power banks, air travel restrictions extend to breast milk, seat-extending hammocks, certain medical devices, toy weapons, and souvenir items like snow globes.

With this first-of-its-kind rule, Air Busan is prioritizing passenger safety by mitigating the fire risks associated with portable chargers in the cabin.