Two Vietnamese airlines ban power banks over explosion fears

Passengers are also not allowed to charge power banks with USB ports on the plane. FILE PHOTO|The Straits Times/Asia News Network

HANOI – The two most popular airlines in Vietnam – national carrier Vietnam Airlines and budget carrier Vietjet Air – have both officially banned passengers from using lithium-based power banks during flight.

The ban was issued after an incident on March 21, in which a Hong Kong Airlines flight from Hangzhou, China, was forced to make an emergency landing when a power bank in a passenger’s personal bag suddenly exploded and caught fire.

This is not the first time a flight has had to make an emergency landing due to an exploding power bank. On Feb 19, 2024, a Royal Air Philippines flight also had to make an emergency landing after a power bank exploded, filling the plane with smoke.

READ: No power banks in overhead compartments, says Malaysia Airlines

Many airlines around the world such as Thailand’s Thai Airways International, Malaysia’s Air Asia and South Korea’s Air Busan have banned the use of power banks on flights to reduce fire and explosion risk.

In Vietnam, on March 24, both Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air announced that passengers are not allowed to use backup power banks on the plane unless they are removed from carry-on luggage, placed in an easily visible place and not used to charge mobile devices during the flight. Previously, power banks were already not allowed in checked baggage.

Passengers are also not allowed to charge their power banks from USB ports on the plane.

READ: Smoke from burning power bank fills plane cabin before Bangkok landing

Power banks must be protected separately and completely turned off to avoid activation.

Each passenger is allowed to carry 10 batteries with a capacity of no more than 100Wh.

For a common power bank with a voltage of about 5V, the corresponding capacity will be about 20,000mAh. For power banks with a capacity of 100Wh to 160Wh, passengers are allowed to carry a maximum of two devices.

Previously, regulations on spare batteries by airlines entailed not putting them in checked baggage due to concerns about fire and explosion.