Several airlines in Asia update lithium battery policies

In January, an Air Busan plane was consumed in flames while preparing to depart South Korea. A power bank was the possible cause of the fire. - China Daily/ANN

SEOUL: Several airlines in Asia have updated their guidance on carrying lithium batteries onboard. The batteries are in devices such as cellphones and e-cigarettes, and can malfunction to produce smoke, fire or extreme heat.

In 2024, three incidents every two weeks of overheating lithium batteries on planes were recorded globally by the US Federal Aviation Administration, compared to just under one a week in 2018.