The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has prohibited the charging of power banks according to a new circular. Yes, using them with an in-seat power system has now been banned. This comes after an incident related to lithium batteries catching fire mid-flight was reported, as mentioned by The Economic Times. So, a ‘dangerous goods advisory circular’ has been issued.
DGCA Prohibits Use Of Power Banks In-Flight
According to the new circular, power banks can no longer be charged in-flight. Yes, not to mention, portable electronic devices can also not be charged by a power bank while inside the aircraft, as reported by The Times of India. So, this means that the power banks and batteries can now only be allowed in hand baggage and not in overhead bins. Not to mention, passengers are also prohibited from using their power banks by plugging them into the in-seat power supply system.
Announcements To Be Made To Make People Aware
The development comes after just last year, in October, a passenger’s power bank reportedly caught fire aboard an IndiGo flight to Dimapur. This happened as it was taxiing for departure from Delhi’s IGI airport. However, no one was injured, and the fire was quickly extinguished. So, according to the new rule, the airline must report all lithium battery-related incidents to the DGCA. Not to mention, airlines have also been ordered to make in-flight announcements about the new rule related to the power banks and charging portable devices in flight. Additionally, passengers should inform the cabin crew if any device is emitting heat, smoke or any unusual odour.
A reason for this is that lithium battery fires are very energetic and can cause the PED to explode. Not to mention, a fire can be started by uncontrolled heating, overcharging or even an internal short circuit that could be triggered by poor manufacturing quality.
Emirates & Other Airlines Took Similar Steps Last Year
This development comes after just the previous year, Emirates banned the use of power banks on all its of its flights. Passengers could only carry power banks rated below 100 watt-hours, and they were strictly prohibited from charging them or using them. This was followed closely by Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways, along with other carriers like Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways, which restricted passengers from using power banks.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/Vitalii Petrushenko from Getty Images (Image is for representative purposes only)
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