A flight heading for Bangkok, Thailand, filled with smoke not long before landing due to a power bank catching fire — now some airlines are changing their rules on portable chargers in luggage
Passengers onboard a flight to Bangkok endured a horrifying situation when the cabin filled with smoke minutes before landing.
The Batik Air flight became clogged with smoke from a burning power bank moments before landing in Bangkok, causing passengers to panic. In a clip shared on social media platform TikTok, smoke is seen spreading from the overhead luggage compartment, filling the cabin space. Flight attendants can also be seen in the video checking the overhead lockers for the source of the smoke.
Passengers seated close to the source are then seen leaving their seats before cabin crew open the compartment and use an extinguisher to put out the fire.
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Later, the cabin crew are seen reopening the compartment and white smoke pours out. A passenger seated opposite the compartment in question retrieves a black bag and carries it to the back of the aircraft followed by an attendant carrying the extinguisher.
In a follow-up video, TikTok user kentmaherr said the smoke initially seemed to be “steam”, but was soon accompanied by a strong “chemical-like smell”, reports The Independent. The user added that he and a few others followed the passengers as they carried the black bag to the back of the plane and saw him take out a power bank, which was fully put out using three bottles of water.
The aircraft, that had taken off from Johor Bahru, was only 30-minutes from arriving at its destination at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, when the incident occurred.
“All passengers were shocked by the thick smoke coming out of the luggage compartment, with the smell of fire stinging their noses,” the TikTok user wrote in the video’s caption.
Multiple operators in Asia are now making changes to their luggage carry policy including Korean Air, Asiana and China Airlines. Along with Batik Air, they will enforce a ban on carrying power banks, vapes and lithium-ion batteries in luggage that is placed in the overhead lockers onboard planes.
The new enforcement started on Saturday, March 1. The banned items must now be kept on a passenger’s person at all times.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) provide clear rules about bringing portable chargers onboard flights. According to their regulations, spare lithium-ion batteries, which includes portable chargers, must be packed in carry-on luggage and are not permitted in checked baggage.
In addition, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), power banks with a capacity of up to 100 watt-hours are allowed in carry-on baggage.
For British Airways, passengers can take up to 15 battery-operated Personal Electronic Devices (PED) that contain lithium batteries such as laptops, tablets, smart phones, cameras, music players and smart baggage tags (e.g. Apple AirTag). Power banks are allowed to be up to 100 Wh in carry-on luggage without special approval.
For easyJet, batteries contained in portable electronic devices should be carried as carry-on baggage, plus the airline gives automatic ‘operator approval’ for lithium ion batteries up to 160Wh. There is a limit of 15 portable devices per passenger, including laptops and phones.
Lithium ion batteries for portable electronic devices, a Wh rating exceeding 100Wh but not exceeding 160Wh, are allowed. In addition, a maximum of two spare batteries in carry-on baggage only, is allowed. For Ryanair, a maximum of two portable chargers or lithium-ion batteries in carry-on baggage is allowed, as long as the power banks have a capacity of no more than 100 Wh.