(March 13): Singapore Airlines Ltd will ban the use of portable power banks on flights from next month, splitting from regional rival Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, after batteries were suspected to have led to fires or smoke in planes.

The Singapore Air group, which also includes budget carrier Scoot, said customers won’t be allowed to charge power banks via onboard USB ports or use them to charge personal devices throughout the duration of a flight. Power banks must be carried in cabin baggage on all flights and aren’t permitted in checked luggage, according to a post on the company’s X account on Wednesday.

The move follows South Korean authorities introducing new rules for air travellers to seal up ports on hand-held battery rechargers or put them in a separate plastic bag, after a fire on an Air Busan Co plane in January was suspected to have been caused by a power bank.

Inflight incidents involving batteries have been on the rise. In March, a Batik Air plane cabin filled with smoke, reportedly from a burning power bank. The US Federal Aviation Administration recorded 84 lithium battery air incidents involving smoke, fire or extreme heat across passenger and cargo flights last year, the most since at least 2016.

Singapore Air’s new rule will differ from Cathay, as the Hong Kong-based carrier still allows passengers to use power banks to charge devices during flights. However, the batteries can’t be recharged via in-seat USB ports at any time due to potential safety hazards, according to Cathay’s website.

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