Starting April 24, Japan prohibits the use of power banks on airplanes

JAKARTA - Japan has started to regulate power banks in airplane cabins. Starting April 24, passengers are no longer allowed to use power banks to charge cellphones or other devices during flights.

The Straits Times report, quoted Tuesday, April 21, said the new rules also limit the number of power banks that can be brought into the cabin, a maximum of two units per passenger. Power banks also cannot be plugged into the electrical outlet on the plane.

The Japanese government took this step after a number of cases of fires on domestic and international flights were triggered by lithium-ion battery power banks. The Japanese government's attitude is quite firm. Items that are usually in the cabin bag are now treated as a safety risk.

In an April 14 announcement, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism confirmed that the ban applies inside the cabin. Passengers who violate the carry-on limit or continue to use a power bank during the flight will be subject to sanctions.

The rule was born after the Japanese government revised the related notification in the Civil Aviation Law. The revision is said to refer to discussions in international institutions that regulate civil aviation safety.

On April 14, flight attendants and ground staff from domestic airlines affiliated with the Japan Scheduled Airlines Association distributed leaflets at Haneda Airport, Tokyo. They explained the new rules to passengers and asked for cooperation before the policy took effect.