A major international airport is set to implement new rules on bringing power banks on board in hand luggage – as soon as next week.
From 15 April 2026, passengers departing from Singapore can carry a maximum of two power banks per person on board flights.
Passengers carrying more than two will be required to dispose of the extra power banks before the flight.
Power banks must also not be charged on board the aircraft and passengers are advised not to use power banks to charge their devices during the flight.
The new Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) restrictions for power banks on flights departing Singapore are part of updated safety requirements linked with power banks on board aircraft.
Singapore Changi Airport is a major international hub, and popular destination for layovers, with 70 million passengers passing through its corridors in 2025.
Lithium batteries in power banks can overheat or short-circuit, posing a fire and safety hazard on board flights.
The new requirement of a maximum of two power banks per passenger and restrictions on the charging and use of power banks on board flights seeks to reduce the risk of fire while catering for passengers’ travelling needs.
CAAS is working with airlines to implement the new requirements in a smooth and orderly manner.
Airlines will inform their passengers of the new requirements. CAAS will also provide time for the airlines to do so.
In the meantime, passenger service and security screening officers will be trained.
Information on the new restrictions will also be displayed at key touchpoints across the airport as a reminder to passengers.
Other existing requirements continue to apply, including the prohibition of power banks in check-in baggage, capacity limits and the requirement for power banks to be individually protected to prevent short circuit (such as keeping them in protective pouches).
As airlines may also have more restrictive policies on power banks, passengers are advised to check with their airlines before travelling.
Foong Ling Huei, director of flight standards at the CAAS, said: ‘The new requirements will help reduce the risk of fire caused by power banks on board flights.
‘We urge all passengers to familiarise themselves and comply with the new requirements, for their own safety and the safety of other passengers.’
It is not the first hub to crack down on portable chargers and power banks.
Plane passengers are being urged to think twice before packing power banks as many major airlines clamp down on their use – while a number of popular carriers opt to ban them entirely.
Since last year, a number of airlines have already put strict rules in place that prohibit passengers from bringing power banks in checked luggage going into the hold.
This is due to the risk of lithium batteries overheating and causing fires in the cargo hold.
If damaged, lithium-ion batteries can create aggressive fires and release highly toxic fumes – a process known as thermal runway.
Giuseppe Capanna, of Electrical Safety First, said ‘Lithium-ion batteries can hold a sizable amount of energy in a very small space, and can pose a serious fire risk if they become damaged or are manufactured to a substandard level.’
Credit: Daily Mail
