From 1 April 2025, passengers on Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its budget subsidiary, Scoot, will no longer be permitted to use power banks to charge personal devices during flights. The airlines also prohibit charging power banks via onboard USB ports, citing safety concerns.
SIA stated that the policy aligns with the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations, which classify power banks as lithium batteries. Passengers must carry power banks in cabin baggage, as they are not permitted in checked baggage. Power banks up to 100Wh are allowed without special approval, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require prior airline approval.
Singapore Airlines’ decision follows multiple incidents of inflight fires linked to overheating power banks. Several airlines, including Thai Airways and AirAsia, have imposed similar restrictions. Scoot also released a similar statement on its official social media channels not long after.
In January, a power bank reportedly caused a fire on an Air Busan plane at South Korea’s Gimhae International Airport. More recently, a Batik Air flight experienced smoke filling the cabin due to a burning power bank in an overhead compartment. The US Federal Aviation Administration also recorded a rise in incidents involving lithium battery overheating, with three cases occurring every two weeks in 2024.
