Smoking Power Bank Forces Plane to Make Emergency Landing

By Billy Jiang, August 15, 2023

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On August 13, a video circulated online showing an incident on China Eastern Airlines flight MU6958 from Lhasa to Shanghai, where a passenger's power bank squeezed in a seat gap and became lodged, causing it to emit smoke. 

Power Bank Smoking Causes China Eastern Flight Emergency Landing. Video via Sina Weibo 沸点新闻

Passengers reported that the smell of burning lingered in the airport even after disembarking. 

According to China Eastern Airlines, the flight on August 13 was diverted to Wuhan due to airline-related issues, and passengers were flown from Wuhan to Shanghai the next day.

Restrictions on Carrying Power Banks on Flights

According to a notice issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China:

  • Power banks with a rated capacity exceeding 160Wh (watt-hours) are strictly prohibited

  • Power banks with a rated capacity exceeding 100Wh but not exceeding 160Wh require airline approval and are limited to a maximum of two

  • Power banks must be carried onboard and cannot be put in checked luggage

  • Power banks with unclear markings are not allowed

  • Using power banks during flight is prohibited

For those unfamiliar with these technical terms, let's break it down: Take a typical 20,000mAh power bank, for example, calculated at a voltage of 5V, it's approximately 100Wh; If the voltage is 3.7V, it's about 74Wh. 

Thus, carrying a 20,000mAh power bank is permissible on flights, as it doesn't exceed the aviation regulations' thresholds.

As the summer vacation continues, we wish you a safe journey to your holiday spot and back! Tell us about your recent escapades in the comments and stay connected by following our WeChat Official Account, ThatsGBA.


[Cover image via Sina Weibo 沸点新闻]

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