Recently, Vietjet Air has updated regulations on carrying spare batteries on flights, based on Directive No. 1027 dated February 26 of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam on strengthening aviation safety measures including controlling items containing Lithium batteries.
Accordingly, customers must remove the spare battery from their carry-on luggage and place it in a visible location during the flight. It is strictly forbidden to charge the spare battery or use the spare battery to charge personal devices in any form.
Previously, Vietnam Airlines also advised passengers not to bring spare batteries on board as checked baggage. The airline also strictly prohibits charging devices via USB ports on the plane; each battery must be protected separately and must be completely turned off to avoid unintentional activation.
After many incidents, domestic and foreign airlines are tightening control over bringing spare batteries on board.
Airlines in many countries have also issued similar regulations to ensure the safety of customers. Singapore Airlines has just announced that it will ban passengers from using wireless power banks on flights from April 1. Thai Airways International of Thailand and Air Asia of Malaysia have also decided to ban their use. Air Busan of Korea issued regulations prohibiting the placement of power banks in the luggage compartment above the seats.
It is known that most backup batteries use Lithium-ion or Lithium-polymer batteries. These batteries have the ability to store large amounts of energy but are very sensitive to external impacts such as impact, vibration, and high temperatures.
During transportation, checked baggage may be affected by sudden changes in pressure. This may cause the spare battery to short-circuit, generate a large amount of heat and pose a risk of fire or explosion. In addition, because checked baggage is often impacted, especially during loading and unloading of the plane, the protective shell of the spare battery may be damaged, increasing the risk of short-circuiting and causing fire, threatening the safety of passengers as well as the flight.
Most backup batteries use Lithium-ion or Lithium-polymer batteries, which are sensitive to external impacts such as impact, vibration, and high temperatures.
General regulations of airlines only allow passengers to bring spare batteries on board when complying with some regulations such as having to carry them as carry-on luggage, each person is only allowed to bring a maximum of 10 batteries with a capacity of no more than 100Wh, only allowed to bring them to meet personal needs, not allowed to use for business purposes.
Passengers must completely turn off the backup battery, do not leave it in hibernation mode or wait when boarding the plane. In particular, when the flight takes off or lands, absolutely do not use the backup battery. The backup battery must be packaged in the box as when first purchased or the terminals must be carefully insulated with tape or a specialized protective bag to prevent short circuits, short circuits... The battery must have a clear origin, capacity and power information.
On March 20, a Hong Kong Airlines Airbus plane departing from Xiaoshan Airport (Zhejiang, China) to Hong Kong had to make an emergency landing at Changle International Airport after a spare battery in the carry-on luggage compartment suddenly caught fire. Earlier this year, an Air Busan flight from Busan (South Korea) to Hong Kong also encountered a fire at Gimhae Airport related to a spare battery problem.
