Singapore Airlines has joined a growing list of carriers banning or restricting the use of power banks while onboard aircraft.
The airline announced that during flights after April 1, 2025, its customers – and those on its low-cost subsidiary Scoot – will not be allowed to charge portable power banks via onboard USB ports, or use power banks to charge their personal devices.
The carrier said that power banks must be carried in cabin baggage and are not permitted in checked luggage.
It added: ‘Customers may bring power banks up to 100Wh without special approval, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval. The safety of our customers and crew is our top priority.’
The airline issued the guidance in a press statement and on Facebook, where one user questioned how cabin crew would police the use of power banks.
Singapore Airlines responded: ‘If we may share, our crews are trained to remain vigilant and ensure that customers comply with in-flight safety procedures.’
Singapore Airlines has joined a growing list of carriers banning or restricting the use of power banks while onboard aircraft
Power banks are classified as lithium batteries, which pose a fire risk because they can ignite during a process called ‘thermal runaway’.
The FAA explains: ‘All lithium-ion batteries are capable of overheating and undergoing a process called thermal runaway.
‘Thermal runaway can occur without warning as a result of various factors, including if the battery is damaged, overheated, exposed to water, overcharged, or improperly packed.
‘Thermal runaway can also occur on its own due to manufacturing defects.’
Power banks are classified as lithium batteries, which pose a fire risk because they can ignite during a process called ‘thermal runaway’
Such an event is being considered as the cause of a fire on board a Hong Kong-bound Air Busan plane at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, in January this year.
All passengers and crew members onboard were safely evacuated, but four were said to have sustained minor injuries.
Air Busan subsequently banned passengers from checking in power banks or storing them in overhead bins.
Other airlines that have banned or restricted the use of power banks on flights include Thai Airways, AirAsia, EVA Air and China Airlines.
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