Taiwanese airlines to ban use of portable chargers on flights

Taipei, Feb. 26 (CNA) More of Taiwan's biggest airline carriers announced on Wednesday that they will forbid passengers from using power banks for electronic devices on all flights.

China Airlines, EVA Air, StarLux Airlines, Mandarin Airlines, UNI Air and Tigerair Taiwan all have or will introduce bans on using charging devices in-flight.

The bans follow an incident in South Korea on Jan. 28, in which a portable power bank is suspected of causing a fire on a plane shortly before it was due to take off from Gimhae International Airport.

Airlines around the world already restrict the check-in of mobile power banks and spare lithium batteries, instead requiring passengers place them in carry-on luggage.