Singapore Airlines has announced a ban on passengers using portable power banks on board. From April 1, travellers will not be allowed to charge devices like smartphones using a power bank, and they will also be stopped from charging a power bank through the onboard USB ports. Passengers will still be able to bring a power bank onto the plane, but it must be stowed in their carry-on bags. The new policy also affects customers on its budget brand, Scoot. It follows a fire which ripped through an Air Busan plane in South Korea earlier this year. The blaze has been blamed on a lithium-based battery in a power bank overheating. None of the passengers or crew were seriously injured. In a statement on Wednesday, Singapore Airlines said: “The SIA Group complies with the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations regarding the carriage of power banks, which are classified as lithium batteries. “This means power banks must be carried in cabin baggage on all SIA flights and are not permitted in checked baggage. Customers may bring power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh without special approval, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval.” EVA Air, Air China and Thai Airways are some of the airlines which have now banned the use of power banks. South Korean airlines, including Air Busan and Korean Air, have gone a step further and stopped passengers from storing them in the overhead bins. They now need to be placed in the seat pocket. When questioned by Stuff, an Air New Zealand spokesperson said the airline has not changed any of its current policies and procedures. Air New Zealand is a codeshare partner with Singapore Airlines. “When it comes to the carriage of batteries, power banks and devices, Air New Zealand has comprehensive details on our website. These requirements are in accordance with Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand requirements and align with the ICAO Technical Instructions applicable to ‘The Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air’.“<br/>
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Thai Airways International (THAI) is changing its passenger luggage allowance for certain economy class tickets from 25 kilogrammes to 23kg from April 1 onward. In an internal announcement to its ticket-selling partners, THAI said the new luggage rules will be applied to booking classes L, W (Saver Fare Family) and V, S, K (Standard Fare Family) of the economy class. The airline told its partners to change the load allowance specified on tickets for both FIT (Free Independent Traveller) and GIT (Group Inclusive Tour) of domestic and international flights using its aircraft. The change applies to new tickets issued from April 1 and with departure date from April 1 onwards, as well as unused tickets reissued from that date, it said. The airline did not mention any change in the number of pieces of luggage, meaning that it still uses the weight concept and not the piece concept in luggage allowance. THAI’s other booking classes in economy (T, Q, H, M, B, Y, N, X) allow 30kg of luggage, while the G booking class is allowed 25 or 30kg depending on the case.<br/>