Airlines worldwide are wrestling with regulations governing the storage of power banks onboard aircraft – cabin-only, nowhere on board, or, in some cases, no restrictions.
China has taken a more decisive approach – banning uncertified power banks on domestic flights, citing the risk of lithium batteries to cause fires.
The snap ban has caught out passengers who were unaware of the new regulations.
The ban applies to power banks without valid China Compulsory Certification – known as 3C or CCC, a mandatory safety and quality standard for products sold in China.
Thousands of confiscated power banks have been piling up at Chinese airports. The devices were not officially certified in China until 2023 and many travellers are using power banks that pre-date this certification.
A report from China's market regulation authority found that out of 149 batches of power banks inspected, 65 were substandard.
That’s a worry.