Singapore Airlines has become the latest international airline to ban the use of portable power banks while onboard its flights.

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.

Singapore Airlines and its budget subsidiary, Scoot, have announced that passengers will be prohibited from using power banks to charge their devices during flights starting April 1 due to safety concerns.

Singapore Airlines will impose restrictions on the carriage of power banks on its flights. The airline, which flies to Johannesburg and Cape Town, will introduce restrictions on the carriage and use of power banks on its flights.

SINGAPORE: From April, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot passengers will not be allowed to use power banks to charge their devices during flights. They will also not be allowed to charge their power banks using the onboard USB ports, the airlines said in Facebook posts on Wednesday (Mar 12).

Singapore Airlines is the latest airline to put a ban on passengers using portable power banks on board the carrier’s aircraft.