Thai Airways allows two power banks, bans onboard use
Thai Airways International issued a security notice today, April 3, outlining new power bank rules that allow each passenger to carry up to two devices on board, but prohibit their use and charging during flights.
The airline said in a social media post that the restriction has been in effect since March 27, in line with safety regulations announced by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The rule applies to all flights and limits each passenger to a maximum of two portable power banks.
Thai Airways added that using or charging the devices on board is strictly prohibited and urged passengers to comply for safety reasons.
Additionally, Focus Taiwan reported that EVA Airways and China Airlines began enforcing similar restrictions on March 31, limiting passengers to two power banks in carry-on baggage, while Starlux Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan were due to adopt the same measures on April 1.
The notice comes as airlines in Asia and elsewhere tighten rules on portable battery devices following a series of onboard fire incidents.
One such incident occurred in Thailand in 2024, when a power bank exploded on a Thai AirAsia flight bound for Nakhon Si Thammarat, filling the cabin with smoke among 186 passengers. The crew extinguished the fire, and the flight landed as scheduled.
In another case last year, airlines around the world, including Thai Airways, moved to ban power banks on flights after a fire on an Air Busan flight in South Korea was linked to a faulty device. The incidents have added to concerns over lithium-ion batteries, which can overheat or short-circuit if damaged or stored improperly.
The safety concerns are not limited to aircraft cabins. In Buri Ram, a fire tore through a two-storey home in Hin Khon subdistrict, Lam Plai Mat district, before firefighters brought the blaze under control. The suspected cause was later linked to a power bank explosion.
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