Singapore Airlines & Scoot Ban On-Board Power Bank Use From April 1, 2025

[Gold Member]

https://loyaltylobby.com/2025/03/12/singapore-airlines-scoot-ban-on-board-power-bank-use-from-april-1-2025/

I noticed Thai and I think Korean introduced these a couple of days ago, and now SQ. How long before every other airline imposes these restrictions?

 

[kpc]

Not an issue as long as the onboard power / USB ports work!

 

[zan5hin]

Also the Chinese airlines have started doing this. Remind me of the overreaction to a single "shoe bomber" back in the day.

If the power bank on the scoot flight that caught on fire was in the overhead, it was likely not charging anything at the time ......

 

[markis10]

If the power bank on the scoot flight that caught on fire was in the overhead, it was likely not charging anything at the time ......

Quite a few recent incidents, all in the lockers in clouding on at Busan and a bark flight from JHB to BKK

 

[AIRwin]

bark flight from JHB to BKK

It was a Batik Air flight to DMK to be exact

 

[elanshin]

My main problem is that each airline is doing something slightly different to the other one and none of which are actually policeable.

The best they can do is tell a pax no if they're spotted charging in SIA groups case.

All of it smells like a liability and insurance shift than real safety procedures. If anything a Lithium based battery is not "more likely" to have a thermal runaway discharging than just sitting still so the ban of use but allowed to carry has little true safety implications.

The problem however is that in no way can we blanket ban lithium batteries as a whole. What if the next thermal runaway is another mobile phone. Galaxy note did that in the past ...

 

[Quickstatus]

If anything a Lithium based battery is not "more likely" to have a thermal runaway discharging than just sitting still so the ban of use but allowed to carry has little true safety implications.

The issue is charging powerbanks rather than batteries asleep or discharging.

Often people will leave on the charger even when it's full. This is where poor quality battery management systems allow overcharging and

A partially charged battery is safer
Tesla specify a state of charge of less than 28% when their car batteries are transported by air.

 

[elanshin]

The issue is charging powerbanks rather than batteries asleep or discharging.

Often people will leave on the charger even when it's full. This is where poor quality battery management systems allow overcharging and

A partially charged battery is safer
Tesla specify a state of charge of less than 28% when their car batteries are transported by air.

Right but wasn't the incident that kicked off the latest round the loss of an aircraft fron air busan with the battery just in the overhead compartment?

Are we going to enter a new phase where because everything is relatively hars to be policed of airlines that let you use /have battery banks and ones that don't and then cause confusion for the average traveller?

I believe Cathay for example has responded saying they won't ban batteries. But supposedly they already disallowed charging the battery prior to this, but not discharging.

 

[Quickstatus]

Right but wasn't the incident that kicked off the latest round the loss of an aircraft fron air busan with the battery just in the overhead compartment?

Sure and I think it's coughulative over several fires.
What was the SoC of the battery that caught fire?. Keep the charge low and don't charge is best practice.

 

[zan5hin]

Coming soon: Star Alliance and Oneworld approved power banks.
Different standards, like HDR10 and Dolby Vision, or for your older people, VHS and Betamax

Time for everyone to upgrade!

 

[elanshin]

Coming soon: Star Alliance and Oneworld approved power banks.
Different standards, like HDR10 and Dolby Vision, or for your older people, VHS and Betamax

Time for everyone to upgrade!

And all from the same factories as the other batteries.

 

[RSD]

The recent changes by airlines are very concerning for someone like me who often travels with the full allowance of 20 spare lithium batteries including 2x special permission 160Wh one. I don't actually take a powerbank, so as long as things don't get any more restrictive I will be OK - so here is hoping!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But why have to wait ~20 days?

It’s not a ban on carrying power banks, just charging them.

If it’s so dangerous, why isn’t the ban immediate?

 

[RSD]

But why have to wait ~20 days?

It’s not a ban on carrying power banks, just charging them.

If it’s so dangerous, why isn’t the ban immediate?

I guess they are balancing risk vs passenger reaction and giving passengers time to adjust.