SIA to disallow power bank use onboard from April 1 but some worry passengers won’t follow

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines issued an advisory on Wednesday (March 12), saying that starting April 1, 2025, passengers on board their flights will no longer be allowed to charge portable power banks using an aircraft’s USB ports. Passengers also cannot use power banks to charge personal devices during flights.

“The SIA Group complies with the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations regarding the carriage of power banks, which are classified as lithium batteries,” the carrier said, adding that power banks are not permitted in checked baggage, but instead must be carried in cabin baggage on SIA flights.

Passengers are allowed to bring power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh without special approval, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval.

“We seek customers’ understanding that safety will always be our top priority,” SIA added.

In January, an Air Busan plane caught fire at an airport in South Korea. Fortunately, the 176 people on board — 169 passengers, six flight attendants, and a flight engineer— were evacuated safely.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but airlines in South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and now Singapore have since tightened restrictions on portable batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries, commonly found in cell phones and laptops, have a cell that can heat up in a short amount of time in a chain reaction. This poses a risk of the power bank catching fire or even exploding, especially when the battery is damaged, overcharged, overheated, exposed to water, or has a manufacturing defect, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Additionally, while laptops and cell phones are subject to tighter restrictions, other devices, including power banks, e-bikes and scooters, are not, which is why it’s important to buy them from reputable brands.

On Facebook, Singapore Airlines answered questions from commenters, some of whom raised concerns about passengers using their power banks to charge their cell phones in their bags, which airline staff would not see.

This, they argued, would run a higher risk of overheating, as both the power bank and the device being charged would be in an enclosed space.

SIA assured commenters that its crew is “trained to remain vigilant and ensure that customers comply with in-flight safety procedures”.

Some suggested that an outright ban on power banks across all flights would be more effective in ensuring the safety of everyone on board. /TISG

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