Travellers flying with Singapore Airlines will soon need to rethink their in-flight charging habits. From April 1, the airline will prohibit the use of power banks to charge devices such as smartphones and tablets while on board. Passengers will also not be allowed to recharge their power banks using the aircraft’s USB ports. But power banks will still be permitted in carry-on luggage as long as they remain stowed and are not used during the flight.
Checked-in baggage, on the other hand, is a strict no-go for these portable chargers. The airline has stated that fliers can carry power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh without prior approval. Devices between 100Wh and 160Wh will require authorisation from the airline, the airlines said in a statement.
Singapore Airlines also shared this update in a post on its X (formerly Twitter) handle, stating, “Effective 1st April 2025, Singapore Airlines customers will not be allowed to charge portable power banks via the onboard USB ports, or use power banks to charge their personal devices, throughout the duration of the flight.”
[Advisory]
Effective 1st April 2025, Singapore Airlines customers will not be allowed to charge portable power banks via the onboard USB ports, or use power banks to charge their personal devices, throughout the duration of the flight.
The SIA Group complies with the…
— Singapore Airlines (@SingaporeAir) March 12, 2025
Singapore Airlines is not the first to impose such a restriction. A growing number of airlines have introduced similar policies following safety concerns linked to lithium-ion batteries. Just recently, South Korean carrier Air Busan enforced a complete ban on carrying power banks in hand luggage. This came after an Air Busan plane caught fire at Gimhae International Airport on January 28, 2025. Following an interim investigation, South Korea’s transport ministry revealed that the fire may have been sparked by a power bank, specifically a breakdown in the insulation inside the battery.
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Some of the other Asian airlines that have banned the use of external batteries onboard include Thai Airways, AirAsia, EVA Air and China Airlines. The latest of these airlines to enforce this policy was Thai Airways, which said the ban would come into effect today (March 15, 2025). Singapore Airlines’ low-cost subsidiary, Scoot, has also aligned with its parent company’s policy.