Dhaka: Thai Airways and AirAsia have restricted the use of power banks during flights with separate statements due to the rise of cabin fire incidents related to power banks.

Thai Airways has announced with a Facebook post that the airline will restrict the passengers from using or charging power banks onboard at any time during the flight. This regulation will be effective from March 15, 2025, to ensure the safety of all passengers. However, passengers are still permitted to carry power banks in their carry-on luggage.

Low-cost carrier AirAsia has also imposed this restriction, according to several sources.

Incidents of cabin fire due to the use of power banks onboard have increased a lot recently. On January 28, 2025, Air Busan Flight BX391 caught fire on the tarmac, and it's suspected that lithium-ion batteries present in a passenger's power bank ignited the fire.

On March 3, 2025, a power bank caught fire and filled the cabin with smoke during a Batik Air flight from Johor Bahru, Malaysia, to Bangkok, Thailand.