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Air travelers to be restricted to two power banks per person starting April 20

Published: 08 Apr. 2026, 19:07 Updated: 08 Apr. 2026, 19:32

LEE SOO-JUNG
[email protected]

A banner informs passengers of rules of carrying power banks at check-in counters at Incheon International Airport on April 8. [YONHAP]

Air travelers will be allowed to carry only up to two power banks, or portable batteries, per person and will be banned from using them on aircraft starting April 20, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Wednesday.

Passengers boarding flights departing from Korea-based airports or Korean carriers may carry two power banks, each with a capacity of 160 Watt-hours or less. In particular, portable batteries with a capacity of 100 Watt-hours or more require advance airline approval.

Starting April 20, once on board, passengers will be unable to recharge their electronics or devices using power banks. Charging portable batteries will also be prohibited.

The rule will be applied globally, as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted it as a worldwide standard, while the specific enforcement date may vary by nation, an official from the Transport Ministry told the Korea JoongAng Daily on Wednesday.

Passengers should not place their portable batteries in checked luggage. They should carry the batteries with them — either in a sealed bag or with an attached insulation sticker — and should not place them in the overhead bin.

In some countries, such as Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, which are enforcing the reinforced rules, passengers are advised to check the relevant guidelines individually before boarding.

The power bank rule, drafted and submitted by Korea’s Transport Ministry, was added as an addendum to the international aviation agency’s technical instructions for the safe transport of dangerous goods by air, also known as Doc 9284, on March 27. However, the ICAO noted that “new specifications will address emerging risks and become effective on March 27” in its online announcement.

Air Busan's Airbus A321-200 is seen damaged and burned at Gimhae International Airport in February 2025. [YONHAP]

The latest nationwide power bank restriction came 16 months after Air Busan’s Airbus 321-200 caught on fire on a runway at Gimhae International Airport after a portable battery stored in an overhead storage space ignited in January 2025.

Previously, Korean authorities allowed passengers to carry up to five power banks because there were no international rules governing their possession on flights.

“As concerns regarding in-flight fires caused by power banks have grown recently, [the new rule and the ICAO’s adoption] are meaningful as they allow effective safety regulation and management through international coordination,” Yoo Kyung-soo, director-general for aviation safety policy at the ministry, said in a press release.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]