The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) recently announced a new policy: Power banks with capacities of more than 160 watt-hours are no longer allowed on both domestic and international flights.
This decision comes after a recent incident where an overheating power bank caused a fire on an Air Busan aircraft at Gimhae International Airport. On February 28, a power bank inside a carry-on bag caught fire, reportedly due to overheating.
CAAP’s flight operations department is coordinating with airlines to regulate the use of power banks.
Under the new policy, power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh can be brought onboard without prior approval. Those with capacities between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval, while power banks exceeding 160Wh are strictly prohibited. Typically, this range covers power banks from 20,000mAh to 27,000mAh.
Passengers are reminded to check the capacity of their power banks before heading to the airport and comply with airline policies to avoid any inconvenience. It’s also important to keep power banks with them during the flight, so if any issues arise, they can be quickly addressed.
CAAP will continue working with airlines to enhance information dissemination and ensure travelers are well-informed about regulations concerning power banks and other potentially dangerous items.
Featured image from Unsplash
