According to news from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), to effectively ensure aviation operational safety, the CAAC recently issued an urgent notice prohibiting passengers from carrying power banks without 3C certification, with unclear 3C certification, or of recalled models or batches on domestic flights, starting from June 28.
Image source: China Quality Certification Center
It is reported that since the beginning of this year, there have been multiple incidents of power banks and other lithium battery products catching fire or emitting smoke on board aircraft carried by passengers. Recently, several leading power bank manufacturers have recalled multiple batches of products due to safety risks in their battery cells. The State Administration for Market Regulation has revoked or suspended the 3C certification of multiple power bank and battery cell manufacturers. These situations indicate that power banks carried by passengers have safety and quality risks, and the risks they pose to civil aviation safety continue to increase. In response, the CAAC has decided to further implement strict control measures based on the existing policies, in accordance with the internationally recognized Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, and has required relevant civil aviation units to strengthen organization, publicity, strict inspections, service improvements, and emergency preparedness.
The notice requires that airlines and their agents should strengthen publicity on the risks of power banks catching fire or emitting smoke, so that more passengers can understand the safety risks and control policies of relevant products, and actively guide passengers not to carry non-compliant power banks on board. Airports should make full use of broadcasts, dynamic display screens, and other forms to post publicity materials or add prompts at prominent locations such as security checkpoints and check-in counters, and conduct intensive publicity on the safety risks and control policies of carrying power banks on board in multiple scenarios.
The notice emphasizes that airport security departments should strengthen inspections of power banks carried by passengers to prevent passengers from carrying non-compliant power banks on board. Airlines and airports should deploy additional staff at security checkpoints to provide service guidance and explanations to passengers. Reasonable areas for passengers to voluntarily discard or temporarily store power banks should be set up, with clear temporary storage procedures and processes, to facilitate passengers' voluntary disposal or temporary storage and enhance their understanding and cooperation with the policies.
The notice points out that airports should refer to the Guidelines for the Construction of Charging Facilities for Portable Electronic Devices for Passengers in Terminals to promptly install and maintain charging facilities for passengers in terminals, improve the availability and accessibility of charging equipment and facilities, and better meet passengers' charging needs during port departures and arrivals.
The notice also requires airlines and airports to strengthen the training and management of passenger service personnel to ensure that employees are familiar with and master the safety risks and policies of power banks, so that they can accurately and effectively respond to passenger inquiries. At the same time, all units should further improve emergency response plans for emergencies such as lithium battery fires or smoke emissions in accordance with requirements, enhance employees' situational awareness, emergency response capabilities, and collaborative capabilities, and ensure timely and appropriate responses in emergency situations.
