BANGKOK, 14 September 2014 (NNT) – Thai Airways International has put a ban on external battery packs on all of its aircraft for safety reasons.

Citing the safety standards of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Thai Airways has announced that passengers will no longer be allowed to bring on board external battery backs, commonly known as Power Banks.

Power Banks are considered by Thai Airways as a hazardous item following reports of explosion of such devices on other international airlines that is caused by overheated lithium-ion batteries.

Spare phone battery is a dangerous device. If the lithium inside the device is heated, it can ignite, director of the airline’s security department Samat Pum-orn was quoted by Khao Sod newspaper as saying.

National News Bureau of Thailand