Why does the Vietnam Aviation Administration ban the use of power banks on planes?
(Dan Tri) - From July 1, passengers are not allowed to use or charge backup batteries during the flight. Regulations are introduced to reduce the risk of fire and explosion and ensure aviation safety.
The Vietnam Aviation Administration has just issued a Directive on ensuring the safety of transporting power banks in passengers' luggage.
Accordingly, in order to implement the regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam requires that from July 1, each passenger must not bring more than two power banks on the plane and power banks must be transported in carry-on luggage.
Backup chargers brought on the plane must be removed from carry-on luggage and placed in an easy-to-observe location (Illustration: Pinterest).
Backup chargers containing lithium metal batteries must have a lithium content not exceeding 2g. Power banks containing lithium-ion batteries must have a rated energy level not exceeding 100Wh.
In case the power bank contains a lithium-ion battery with a rated energy level of over 100Wh but not exceeding 160Wh, transportation must be approved by the airline before being placed on the plane.
With power banks allowed on the plane, passengers must remove the power bank from their carry-on luggage, place it in an easy-to-observe location, and are not allowed to use the power bank during the time on the plane.
Passengers are also not allowed to charge their power banks while on the plane.
The use of backup batteries will be completely prohibited on flights in Vietnam (Illustration: Instagram).
Previously, in March 2025, the two largest airlines in Vietnam, Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air, also simultaneously announced banning passengers from using backup batteries on flights, and were required to carry backup chargers in hand luggage and prohibited from placing them in checked baggage.
Before the Vietnam Aviation Administration issued a directive banning the use of power banks on flights, many major airlines in the world also issued similar bans, including Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways, AirAsia, EVA Air, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines...
Many airlines ban or limit the use of backup batteries on planes due to the risk that these devices can overheat, explode, cause fires and threaten flight safety.
In fact, many incidents related to power banks have occurred on flights in recent years.
In January 2025, an Air Busan Airbus A321 carrying 169 passengers and 7 crew members caught fire while preparing to take off from Busan (South Korea) to Hong Kong (China).
Luckily, the incident happened before the plane took off, so all people on board were safely evacuated using the emergency slide. At least 7 people suffered minor injuries and had to be hospitalized. Investigation results determined that the cause of the fire came from a backup battery in the passenger's hand luggage.
In March 2025, a Southwest Airlines flight (USA) had to make an emergency landing at Reno-Tahoe airport (Nevada state) after a backup battery in carry-on luggage exploded.
All passengers and crew were safely evacuated, while firefighters quickly controlled the fire. The incident did not cause any casualties.
Also in March 2025, a Hong Kong Airlines flight from Hangzhou to Hong Kong had to divert and make an emergency landing at Fuzhou Changle International Airport (Fujian Province, China) after a backup battery in hand luggage caught fire.
Video recorded by passengers shows flight attendants and passengers continuously pouring water to control the fire and smoke rising from the luggage compartment. After landing, all passengers were safely evacuated, with no casualties.
Previously, in February 2024, a Royal Air Charter Service (Philippines) flight from Boracay Island to Shanghai (China) also had to make an emergency landing in Hong Kong after a passenger's backup battery exploded in the cabin.
Images at the scene showed smoke quickly covering the passenger compartment, forcing many people to move towards the back of the plane to avoid inhaling smoke. Firefighters and ambulances were waiting at the airport to respond. The incident caused no casualties.
According to witnesses, the incident occurred after a passenger used a power bank to charge an iPad, despite airline regulations prohibiting the use of this device during the flight.
A backup battery is a device that stores energy to charge phones and electronic devices when needed. However, due to energy storage in lithium battery cells, this device always has a potential risk of fire or explosion if it encounters a technical error or is used improperly.
Backup batteries can be compared to "slow-burning bombs" on flights because of the risk of fire and explosion (Illustration: MCC).
The cause of a backup battery exploding usually comes from two factors: the manufacturer's error and the user's usage process.
On the manufacturer's side, using poor quality components or battery cells can cause short circuits, reduce device life, unstable power output, and also affect the battery of the phone or charged devices.
Meanwhile, many incidents stem from unsafe usage habits. For example, placing a power bank in direct sunlight or in a high-temperature environment can cause the battery to overheat, swell, or explode.
According to manufacturers' recommendations, backup batteries should not be placed in high temperatures, humid environments or under direct sunlight. Users should also not leave the device in a car parked in the sun, on the trunk of a motorbike, near a heat source or near a fire because it increases the risk of fire and explosion.
In addition, do not leave an active backup battery under the pillow, in the blanket or under the mattress. These are all poor heat dissipation materials and can easily catch fire if the device malfunctions.
Due to the risk of fire and explosion, using backup batteries on airplanes always poses risks to aviation safety. In case you need to charge your device, passengers should prioritize using the USB port available on the plane (if available).