China will prohibit passengers travelling on domestic flights from carrying power banks without the China compulsory certification (3C) mark, the country’s aviation regulator said.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) stated that this new measure will come into force from June 28, 2025, to ensure the safety of aviation operations, citing a number of incidents on board aircraft where lithium battery products such as power banks carried by passengers have caused fires and produced smoke.
These prohibited power banks include those without 3C certification logos, those with unclear 3C logos, and any models or batches that have been recalled.
“Recently, a number of head brand power bank manufacturers have recalled multiple batches of products due to the safety risks of battery cells, and the State Administration for Market Regulation has revoked or suspended the 3C certification of a number of power bank and battery cell manufacturers,” the regulator commented.
Since the beginning of the year, a spate of power bank related fires have been recorded on aircraft.
In January, a power bank likely caused a fire on an Air Busan flight before departure in Busan and in February, another power bank overheated and set on fire on a Batik Air flight approaching Bangkok. Additionally in March, a Hong Kong Airlines flight was diverted, due to a suspected hand-baggage fire, which broke out in an overhead compartment.
Airlines globally have introduced new regulations around the use of power banks, prohibited passengers from charging them on board flights and storing them in overhead compartments.
This latest move by China also states that airport security should strengthen the inspection of the power banks carried by passengers and strictly prevent passengers from carrying unqualified power banks on aircraft.