The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) issued an announcement today (April 6), announcing that starting from 00:01 a.m. on April 15, passengers on all flights departing from Singapore can only bring a maximum of two power banks on board.
The new regulations significantly tightened the limit from the previous 20 to 2, a drop of more than 90%. anything beyond the limit
The amount of power bank will be discarded and will not be transferred to checked baggage.
If a power bank catches fire on a plane, it is no longer a "just in case" thing.
On November 22, 2025, on a Scoot flight TR939 from Hong Kong to Singapore, a passenger's power bank suddenly overheated and caught fire, and thick smoke and a burning smell came out of the cabin. Flight attendants quickly put out the fire with a fire extinguisher, but burn marks remained on the cabin walls. At that time, the plane was in the landing stage, and 178 passengers experienced a thrilling "fear in the air".
This is not an isolated case. Similar incidents have occurred before in Malaysia, South Korea and other places. It is these recurring dangers that led the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to update safety requirements on March 27, setting the upper limit of the number of power banks that each passenger can carry to two, and recommending that charging power banks during flights is prohibited.
Image source: TikTok@kentmaherr
How are the new regulations implemented?
The new regulations will be officially implemented from April 15. Each person can only bring a maximum of two power banks on board, regardless of capacity, they will be included in this limit.
Power banks with a capacity of no more than 100 watt hours (Wh) can be carried directly without additional approval. 100Wh is approximately equivalent to 27,000 milliamp hours (mAh), and most power banks on the market are within this range.
Power banks with a capacity between 100Wh and 160Wh need to be approved by the airline in advance and are also subject to a quantity limit of two.
Power banks with a capacity exceeding 160Wh are completely prohibited.
All power banks must be carried with you and are strictly prohibited from being placed in checked luggage.
Special reminder: Even if it is a brand new unopened power bank or purchased from an airport store, it will still count towards the limit of two. Any excess must be discarded before boarding.
Passengers are not allowed to charge power banks during the flight, and try not to use power banks on board.
Why can't it be checked in?
Once a lithium battery catches fire in the cargo hold, the crew cannot handle it in time, and the consequences will be disastrous. If you carry it with you, even if an accident occurs, you can detect and deal with it immediately. This is also a common practice in the global aviation industry.
Singapore Airlines has already "taken the lead"
In fact, Singapore Airlines and Scoot have banned passengers from using or charging power banks on board starting from April 1, 2025. The new CAAS regulations are to uniformly tighten the carry quantity limit and align it with international standards.
Remember to check these three things before traveling
Before setting off, take a look at your power bank: confirm the Wh value. If the value is mAh, you can use the formula "mAh × voltage ÷ 1000 = Wh" to convert it. Then count the quantities and bring only the most necessary, two at most. Finally, put it in the right place – take it with you, never stuff it in your checked luggage.
Not only on planes, but also on the subway.
Not long ago, on March 16, a woman's power bank suddenly spontaneously ignited on a train at the Admiralty MRT station in Singapore, and flames spurted out violently. Video from the scene showed that the woman repeatedly stepped on the burning power bank in an attempt to put out the fire, while the surrounding passengers fled in panic. The woman was eventually taken to Woodlands Hospital for treatment with burns to her face and hands.
This is not the first time. In March 2025, a power bank fire occurred at Raffles Place MRT Station, which led to the emergency evacuation of more than 650 passengers and a woman's left hand was burned. In May 2022, an accident occurred at Somerset MRT Station where a power bank exploded in the train, and thick smoke filled the entire carriage. In December of the same year, another power bank smoked at Tanjong Pagar Station, and all passengers on the bus were evacuated.
From passenger cabins at an altitude of 10,000 meters to the subway for daily commuting, power banks have long become an inseparable partner in our lives. But the flames that light up again and again also remind us: if something happens to this "little thing" that is casually stuffed into the bag, the consequences may be disastrous.
