By Anadolu staff
ISTANBUL - All South Korean passenger airlines have banned the in-flight use of portable power banks following a series of battery-related fire incidents, local media reported Friday.
T’way Air said it will prohibit passengers from charging smartphones and other devices with power banks during flights starting Monday, Yonhap News reported. The move makes T’way the last of the country’s 11 passenger carriers to adopt the restriction.
Budget carrier Eastar Jet was the first to introduce the ban in October, followed by Jeju Air in late January.
Flag carrier Korean Air and its affiliates -- Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul -- implemented similar measures earlier this year.
Under the new rules, passengers may still carry power banks in the cabin but cannot use them during flights. Airlines require battery terminals to be covered with insulating tape or stored in protective pouches. The devices must remain within reach and may not be placed in overhead compartments.
Safety concerns intensified after a major fire involving an Air Busan aircraft at Gimhae International Airport in January 2025, prompting tighter restrictions across the industry.
Japan’s Transport Ministry has also instructed domestic airlines to ban the use of mobile batteries in aircraft cabins on flights to and from the country’s airports as early as April, according to NHK.