South Korea to limit power banks on flights following plane fire (updated)

Air Busan

13/02/2025 06:28

(Adds details of new rules)
    By Hyunsu Yim
       SEOUL, Feb 13 (Reuters) - South Korea's transport
ministry on Thursday announced measures to strengthen aviation
safety rules, following a fire on an Air Busan plane last month,
which will include limiting the number and type of portable
batteries allowed on flights.
    The measures come into effect on March 1 after an Airbus
 AIR.PA  plane belonging to South Korean carrier Air Busan
 298690.KS  caught fire on January 28 at Gimhae International
Airport in the southern part of South Korea while preparing for
departure to Hong Kong.
    Under the new safety measures passengers will be permitted
to carry up to five 100 watt-hours portable batteries, while
batteries over 160 watt-hours won't be allowed on board.
    Security searches will include checking the number and types
of batteries, and charging portable batteries on a plane will 
be banned, the ministry said in a statement.
    Mirroring a similar decision already taken by Air Busan last
week, the ministry said it will ban passengers from keeping
power banks and e-cigarettes in luggage stored in overhead cabin
bins.
    The decision comes in an effort to address concerns over
potential portable battery fires, the ministry said, though the
cause of the fire on the Air Busan aircraft has yet to be
determined.
    The fire was first detected by a flight attendant in an
overhead luggage bin in the rear left-hand side of the plane,
the airline said. All on board were evacuated safely.
    Global aviation standards say batteries must not be placed
in checked-in luggage because they can start intense fires if
they short circuit due to damage or manufacturing faults.

 (Reporting by Hyunsu Yim
Editing by Josh Smith and)
 ((Hyunsu.Yim@thomsonreuters.com;))