Carrying More Than Two Backup Batteries and Charging Them on Board Now Prohibited... Korean Proposal Becomes International Standard

Proposal from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Finalized by ICAO Council

Starting April 20, each passenger will be permitted to carry only up to two backup batteries on board an aircraft. In addition, not only is it prohibited to charge backup batteries in the cabin, but passengers will also be banned from using them to charge other electronic devices, such as smartphones, during the flight.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on April 8 that this strengthened onboard safety management plan for backup batteries has been finalized as an international standard, following approval by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council. Previously, under international standards, there was no restriction on the number of batteries below 100Wh (27,000mAh), while domestic regulations limited the number to five per person.

Under the newly established standard, each traveler will be limited to a maximum of two batteries, each up to 160Wh (43,000mAh). Batteries exceeding 160Wh will not be allowed on board. There had previously been no specific restriction on using a backup battery to charge other devices, though domestic airlines had voluntarily prohibited it; now, this will be uniformly banned as an international rule.

The Air Busan aircraft involved in an in-flight fire accident last January. The investigation revealed that the fire was likely caused by a short circuit of an auxiliary battery stored in the overhead compartment. Provided by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board. Yonhap News Agency

Previously, the Korean government implemented safety measures, such as limiting the number of backup batteries allowed on board, in response to the Air Busan in-flight fire incident in January last year. However, due to the absence of unified international standards, regulations varied by country and airline, leading to confusion among international travelers. The Ministry has consistently proposed amendments to strengthen safety management standards at various international meetings, including the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel and the Asia-Pacific Directors General of Civil Aviation Conference.

In line with the new international standard, the Ministry is currently revising the Technical Standards for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, which are formally announced. After completing staff training and updating guidelines, the full implementation will begin on April 20. Yoo Kyungsoo, Director-General for Aviation Safety Policy at the Ministry, stated, "With rising concerns about the risk of in-flight fires caused by backup batteries, international cooperation now enables us to respond more effectively with safety regulations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.