Visitors may feel powerless upon arriving in China where the civil aviation administration is blocking passengers from carrying certain types of portable lithium-ion batteries, which are lately being recalled in large numbers as they pose a
safety risk.
China remains one of the largest hubs for manufacturing power banks.
In May, a China Southern Airlines flight from Hangzhou to Shenzhen was forced to return to the airport 15 minutes after take-off when the crew found smoke coming from a passenger’s camera battery and power bank. In January, an Air Busan plane caught fire at Gimhae International Airport in South Korea, causing minor injuries to three people on board (an investigation is still on to pinpoint the cause).
In the Chinese market, many substandard power banks and unsold stock continue to circulate. Some of these make it to consumers’ hands after being falsely labelled “3C” (China Compulsory Certification) from markets like Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei.
A notice issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said certain batteries posed a safety risk, citing recent recalls of the devices by many manufacturers and episodes of portable batteries catching fire onboard planes.
A translated version of the notice (via Google Translate) reads: “The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has revoked or suspended the 3C certification of many power bank and battery cell manufacturers. The above situation shows that there are safety and quality risks in the power banks carried by passengers, and the risks to the safe operation of civil aviation continue to increase.”
In the last few weeks, two important Chinese battery companies have recalled millions of power banks in China and the US, citing problems with lithium-ion battery cells made by suppliers. Last month, Anker, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of batteries, issued a recall for more than one million power banks sold in the US. Romoss, another Chinese battery maker, last month recalled three models of batteries, totalling nearly 500,000 products.
China started offering 3C certifications to lithium and portable batteries in August 2023 and a year later, the certification for such products became mandatory.
Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used in power banks because they have high energy density and relatively low cost. The batteries store a large amount of power without being too bulky. For those carrying smartphones, tablets and laptops, long-haul flights are almost impossible to complete without such batteries, especially when you consider that many planes offer USB-A charging ports while most new phones have USB-C to USB-C charging cables, which means users need to get an adapter.
According to US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules, lithium-ion batteries, such as power banks, should be packed in carry-on baggage.
Usually, most airlines globally allow each passenger to carry a maximum of two lithium-ion power banks into the cabin but one should check with the airlines about the Watt-hour (higher the Watt-hours, the more energy the power bank can store) before boarding.
Air India says on its website that “spare or loose batteries, including lithium-ion ones for portable electronic devices, must be carried in hand baggage only”. IndiGo says “power banks are not accepted for carriage”.
The South Korean government now requires that passengers keep portable chargers out of overhead bins. EVA Air and China Airlines announced a ban on using or charging power banks on their planes, but batteries can still be stored in overhead compartments.
Earlier this week, Japan’s transport ministry announced new air safety regulations requiring flight passengers to keep power banks within sight to reduce fire risks while on board planes.
Reuters reports that last year three incidents every two weeks of overheating lithium batteries on planes were recorded globally by the US Federal Aviation Administration, compared to just under one a week in 2018.
Since 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organisation has banned lithium-ion batteries from the cargo holds of passenger planes.
The problem with power banks is not new. In 2020, SAMR found that nearly 40 per cent of power banks it inspected were substandard.