Japanese Airlines Change Handling of Mobile Batteries Onboard from Today

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Scheduled Airlines Association will change how mobile batteries are handled onboard aircrafts starting today, July 8.

This change comes in response to incidents of mobile batteries emitting smoke or catching fire onboard both domestic and international flights. Passengers are required to keep their mobile batteries in a location where they can be constantly monitored and not store them in overhead compartments. Additionally, charging of portable electronic devices from mobile batteries and charging of mobile batteries from in-flight power sources should always be conducted in a location where their status can be monitored.

Currently, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, following international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), prohibits including mobile batteries in checked baggage and limits the number and capacity of mobile batteries that can be brought aboard.

In January this year, an Air Busan aircraft was partially destroyed due to a fire believed to be caused by a mobile battery, and incidents of fire and smoke continued to occur. The Chinese authorities have also banned non-“3C” certified mobile batteries on domestic flights.