Starting this Saturday, passengers flying in China will no longer be allowed to bring power banks on board unless they carry a specific Chinese safety mark. The country’s aviation authority has ordered a ban on power banks that lack the “3C” certification, which shows they meet China’s safety rules. The ban also includes power banks recently recalled by their makers for safety problems.
This move comes after several incidents around the world where lithium battery products, like power banks, overheated or caught fire on planes. For example, a fire early this year on an Air Busan flight in South Korea was linked to a spare power bank. Another fire aboard a Hong Kong Airlines flight from China forced the plane to turn back. These events have raised concerns about the safety of carrying such batteries on planes.
Power banks and other devices with lithium batteries—such as laptops, phones, and e-cigarettes—can catch fire or release smoke if damaged or faulty. As more people travel with these gadgets, the risk to flight safety grows. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has noted a sharp increase in incidents involving overheating batteries during flights, with cases rising from less than one a week in 2018 to around three every two weeks last year.
China’s Civil Aviation Administration is responding by requiring clear “3C” markings on power banks. This certification is a Chinese standard aimed at keeping products safe for health and the environment. Lately, some leading manufacturers like Anker and Romoss have had to recall batches of power banks due to safety worries. The Chinese market regulator has even pulled or suspended certification for some power bank makers.
Airlines worldwide are also tightening rules on power banks after the Air Busan fire. Most say power banks must be kept in carry-on bags, and many now ban charging them during flights. China banned charging devices with power banks while flying back in 2014. More recently, Southwest Airlines in the U.S. said passengers must keep portable chargers visible when using them onboard.
With these new rules, China aims to reduce the risk of battery-related fires on flights and improve passenger safety. Travelers flying from China should double-check their power banks carry the right certification and avoid bringing recalled products. This change shows rising awareness of the dangers lithium batteries can pose in the air.