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Topics: Travel, Technology
Madison Burgess
There are already a whole slew of restrictions when it comes to what you can take with you or use on a plane - and another banned item has just been added to the list by some airlines.
The item in question is a popular portable device that most people carry with them on a day-to-day basis.
In fact, so many of us use this item that the market was valued at $13.48 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to reach $31.06 billion by 2030.
However, at least 14 airlines have now banned the device in question from being used while onboard a flight due to a fire risk if they aren't properly stored.
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This week, the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) issued a revised warning after a whopping 50 separate incidents took place involving this device on planes. But, not having access to this item has the potential to cause some inconvenience for travellers, especially those on long-haul flights.
Any ideas what it is yet?
You probably guessed it - beginning tomorrow (1 October), Emirates will ban the use of power banks on its flights, joining a long list of other airlines.
The strict new rule means that while passengers will still be permitted to carry one power bank on board with specific conditions, using any kind of power bank in the airport cabin will be prohibited.
This means no using it to charge your devices, and no charging the bank itself using the aircraft’s power source.
Now, this shouldn't be too much of an issue for passengers flying with Emirates as the company do offer in-seat charging on all aircrafts, according to Aviation Business News. However, Emirates is recommending that all passengers fully charge their devices before flying, especially on longer-duration flights.
In a statement, the airline said: “After a comprehensive safety review, Emirates is taking a firm and proactive stance to mitigate risk when it comes to power banks onboard.
"There has been a significant growth in customers using power banks in recent years, resulting in an increasing number of lithium battery-related incidents onboard flights across the wider aviation industry”.
If you do take a power bank on board, it must be under 100 Watt Hours and have the capacity rating information available.
It's no longer allowed for the power bank to be placed in the overhead stowage bin onboard the aircraft, and it must now instead be placed in the seat pocket or in a bag under the seat in front of you.
The new regulations are said to 'significantly reduce risks associated with power banks' as storing the devices in accessible locations within the cabin ensures that in the rare event of a fire, trained cabin crew can quickly respond and extinguish it.
As we say, Emirates isn't the first airline to take on this rule. As per the Daily Record, the first company to do so was Air Busan, a South Korean airline.
It implemented he restrictions following a power bank fire in January which, although thankfully no one was injured, resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft.
Find the full list of airlines that have currently banned power bank usage on a plane below, as per The Mirror: