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TWO more airlines are introducing strict new travel bans onboard.
Both Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air have been the latest to ban the use of power banks onboard.
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Vietnam Airlines currently offers flights from the UK, connect London Heathrow to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh.
The new rules will mean passengers cannot charge their own devices using the power banks onboard.
The battery packs can also no longer be charged using the inflight ports.
While they can still be brought into the cabin, they are not allowed to be used and must be kept in clear sight.
They must also not be carried in checked in luggage, as they are only permitted in hand luggage.
The ban comes from growing concerns over the safety of lithium batteries onboard.
The airline has since introduced new heat-resistant gloves and fire- containment bags onboard as well.
Last week, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in the US issued an updated warning after reporting 50 incidents concerning power banks onboard.
They said: “Lithium batteries stored in passenger overhead bins and or in carry-on baggage may be obscured, difficult to access, or not readily monitored by passengers or crewmembers.
“Because of this, detection of thermal runaway and firefighting measures may be delayed in flight, increasing the risk to safety.”
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The strict new rules concerning power banks have been introduced by a number of airlines this year.
Air Busan was the first airline in the world to ban the use of power banks onboard after a fire broke out on one of their flights in January.
The malfunctioning power back forced the plane to be decommissioned due to the damage, although thankfully no-one was killed.
Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Singapore Airlines have also introduced the new power bank rules, all of which have flights from the UK.
Eva Air, Thai Airways and Air Asia as well as Tigerair and Starlux have also followed suit.
And Japan‘s transport ministry has said all passengers need to keep power banks in sight at all times onboard, which affects all airlines operating from the country.
The Sun’s Head of Travel on what the power bank rules mean for your flights
The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot explains:
AS staying connected becomes ever-more important, a ban on the handy gadget that can keep our devices topped up could be seen as a pain.
But the catastrophic consequences of a fire on a plane are an obvious reason to make rules stricter.
After countless incidents – and with so many counterfeit and faulty goods out there – it makes sense they are cracking down.
But airlines do need to understand the need for us to be able to top up our devices in the air. With plans afoot to get rid of physical boarding passes in the coming years, making sure we’re able to use our devices will become ever more essential.
Adapting plane interiors to include USB ports will alleviate the need to top up on the go.
And more needs to be done to highlight the new rules – and the dangers these devices can pose.
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