Latest news with #AirBusan
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Expert names vital holiday items Brits always pack wrong when going abroad
Markus Lindblad sheds light on common travel mistakes that cause delays and trouble from Brits at airport security - advising what items are permissible and which should be left at home You may consider yourself well-versed in baggage restrictions, but many Brits still make avoidable packing mistakes. These small but glaring mistakes can lead to longer airport security queues and - at worst - can lead would-be travellers from flying altogether. Markus Lindblad from the tobacco-free nicotine product company, Northerner, has broken down the most common packing mistakes Brits are making in 2025 - including how they travel with vapes. Knowing these rules before you travel might save you time and trouble on your next journey. Travelling with vapes Markus' first flag is about carrying vapes on aeroplanes. While you are permitted to carry vapes onto a plane, they must be stored in your carry-on luggage, not your checked baggage. Additionally, passengers are not permitted to use the vape while on an aeroplane. Vaping or smoking on a flight is illegal and could see you facing hefty fines and flight restrictions. Some fines can even reach up to £5000. For those likely to crave nicotine mid-flight, Markus recommends carrying nicotine pouches. They are allowed both in carry-on and checked luggage and can be used safely on planes. Nicotine pouches are regulated in some countries however, so always make sure you dispose of them when you land if you're unsure of the local laws. Bringing disposable vapes back into the UK is a slightly different story. While the sale of disposable vapes is banned in the UK, they are still perfectly legal in many countries, so Brits can purchase these devices while abroad. Entering the UK with a disposable vape is only an offence if you intend to sell it, so as long as it's for personal use, then you're not breaking any laws according to Markus. If you're not returning to the UK and carrying disposable vapes elsewhere, check the banned items list for each country before re-packing your luggage, as some other countries have banned vapes. Travelling with portable chargers A global shift across worldwide airlines has seen rules tightened over the carrying of power banks onto flights. Early in 2025, an incident that left three people injured on a major Asian airline led to a crackdown of portable power banks in checked baggage. After an Air Busan plane caught fire at Gimhae International Airport on January 28, the airline announced it would be enforcing stricter regulations around power banks. According to Markus, the lithium-ion batteries commonly found inside power banks pose a fire risk to aircraft and confined cabin spaces if damaged. Most airlines allow portable chargers packed in your carry-on luggage, but not in checked luggage. Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways also prohibit the use of power banks to charge personal devices during a flight. Check the specific guidelines surrounding power banks before packing. 100ml liquid limit While some UK airports including Gatwick, Birmingham and Newcastle no longer require passengers to remove liquids at security, the 100ml limit still applies. That said, medications and baby food are exempt from this 100ml restriction. UK restrictions v foreign restrictions Different countries may have completely different travel rules, which affects how you should pack. For example, Dubai has introduced new rules on medication, only allowing items in checked baggage. Whereas Mexico has a total ban on vapes, making packing them in your luggage illegal. While the UK rules may be different, you do not want to get into trouble when you arrive at your holiday destination. Speak to a staff member at the airport check-in desk and seek their advice on what is and is not permissible.
Perth Now
21-07-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Fire breaks out midair on Virgin Australia flight
A fire has broken out midair on a Virgin Australia flight. The blaze started in an overhead cabin on VA1528 from Sydney to Hobart about 9am on Monday, just as the plane began to land. Passengers reported smelling smoke, and when cabin crew opened the overhead compartment, they found a lithium battery on fire. The crew extinguished the fire before landing, and the bag containing the battery was removed once the plane was on the ground. The plane 'landed safely at Hobart Airport' after the incident, a Virgin Australia spokesperson said in a statement. 'All guests disembarked the aircraft, as per standard operating procedures,' the spokesperson said. No passengers required medical treatment. Crew members were assessed by paramedics, but no injuries were reported. The airline is following up with people who were seated nearby. The plane was checked for damage, and a different aircraft was used for the return flight to Sydney. This incident follows a similar one in January, when a fire believed to have started from a power bank in an overhead locker destroyed an Air Busan plane, forcing 179 passengers to evacuate. Air Busan will stop power banks being put in overhead lockers on planes, as a fire safety measure. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP The horrific incident has prompted a number of airlines to completely ban power banks in its carry-on luggage to ensure passengers' safety. Back in April, Singapore Airlines went a step further, banning passengers from using their seat's USB charging port to juice up their power banks. 'Effective 1st April 2025, Singapore Airlines customers will not be allowed to charge portable power banks via the onboard USB ports, or use power banks to charge their personal devices, throughout the duration of the flight,' the airline said. 'This means power banks must be carried in cabin baggage on all SIA flights and are not permitted in checked baggage. Customers may bring power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh without special approval, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval. 'We seek customers' understanding that safety will always be our top priority.' Qantas has also cracked down on power banks. 'Baggage fitted with non-removable lithium batteries or power banks are forbidden,' the national carrier said. 'If in checked baggage, the lithium battery or lithium power bank must be removed from the bag. 'The removed lithium battery or power bank must be in carry-on baggage only. 'Non-lithium batteries/power banks can remain fitted in the bag and carried as carry-on or checked baggage.' Virgin Australia has similar rules. 'Spare/loose batteries (including power banks/packs must be in carry-on baggage only and must be protected against short circuit by, placing in its original retail packaging, placing each battery in a separate plastic bag or protective pouch or insulating terminals by taping over exposed terminals,' the airline said. The wide range and growing popularity of portable chargers contributes to rising product recalls. Credit: AAP Experts warn they are 'playing catch-up' with new lithium batteries flooding the market as Australia's consumer watchdog issues a safety alert to any Australian buying the popular wireless chargers. A lack of regulation and soaring demand has contributed to a growing number of wireless power banks getting recalled, experts added. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission warns 34,000 defective portable chargers are still being used by customers, after a surging number of recalls of the product. The competition watchdog has issued 17 different recalls of power banks since 2020, with more than half being made since 2024. Popular brands including Anker, Baseus and SnapWireless power banks were the most recent products to be recalled. Power banks are portable battery chargers designed to power devices on-the-go. They use rechargeable lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries that are highly flammable, can explode or vent toxic gas, the commission says. The uptick in recalls is being caused by more products on the market, a lack of regulation and differing materials inside the models, University of Melbourne head of chemical biomedical engineering Amanda Ellis says. While most power banks are safe to use, a person's safety rests on how they use them, she said. 'We don't have Australian standards for batteries at the moment so that's one of the problems,' Ellis said. 'We don't really know what is in these batteries because it's all (intellectual property) protected, so it's challenging, and more and more people are using them than five years ago.' Some of the ways to lower the risk are following manufacturer instructions, not charging near flammable furniture and never using damaged or leaking power banks, the commission said. 'Some consumers have suffered serious burn injuries, and some have had their property damaged because of power banks overheating and catching fire,' the watchdog's deputy chair Catriona Lowe said. Suppliers offer a full refund or free replacement under the recalls, Lowe said. — With AAP
7NEWS
15-07-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Power bank warning: Anker and Baseus among chargers recently recalled as Singapore Airlines and Qantas issue bans
Experts warn they are 'playing catch-up' with new lithium batteries flooding the market as Australia's consumer watchdog issues a safety alert to any Australian buying the popular wireless chargers. A lack of regulation and soaring demand has contributed to a growing number of wireless power banks getting recalled, experts added. The competition watchdog warns 34,000 defective portable chargers are still being used by customers, after a surging number of recalls of the product. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued 17 different recalls of power banks since 2020, with more than half being made since 2024. Popular brands including Anker, Baseus and SnapWireless power banks were the most recent products to be recalled. Power banks are portable battery chargers designed to power devices on-the-go. They use rechargeable lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries that are highly flammable, can explode or vent toxic gas, the commission says. Product recalls for some of the bigger brands is a surprise for Chris Barnes, a senior project officer for consumer advocacy group Choice. 'You're always playing catch-up with new technologies, always having to implement specific new mandatory standards or a product ban to cover these sorts of situations,' he told AAP. 'Consumers should be able to trust that anything they buy through a reputable retailer is OK.' The uptick in recalls is being caused by more products on the market, a lack of regulation and differing materials inside the models, University of Melbourne head of chemical biomedical engineering Amanda Ellis says. While most power banks are safe to use, a person's safety rests on how they use them, she said. 'We don't have Australian standards for batteries at the moment so that's one of the problems,' Ellis told AAP. 'We don't really know what is in these batteries because it's all (intellectual property) protected, so it's challenging, and more and more people are using them than five years ago.' The extreme end of people carrying dangerous power banks was felt by South Korea's Air Busan in January when a fire started in one of its planes' overhead lockers. The blaze, believed to have started from a power bank, destroyed the plane with all 179 passengers on-board managing to evacuate safely. Some of the ways to lower the risk are following manufacturer instructions, not charging near flammable furniture and never using damaged or leaking power banks, the commission said. 'Some consumers have suffered serious burn injuries, and some have had their property damaged because of power banks overheating and catching fire,' the watchdog's deputy chair Catriona Lowe said. Suppliers offer a full refund or free replacement under the recalls, Ms Lowe said. Power bank restrictions for airlines including Qantas, Virgin and Singapore Airlines The horrific incident involving Air Busan has prompted a number of airlines to completely ban power banks in its carry-on luggage to ensure passengers' safety. Back in April, Singapore Airlines went a step further, banning passengers from using their seat's USB charging port to juice up their power banks. 'Effective 1st April 2025, Singapore Airlines customers will not be allowed to charge portable power banks via the onboard USB ports, or use power banks to charge their personal devices, throughout the duration of the flight,' the airline said. 'This means power banks must be carried in cabin baggage on all SIA flights and are not permitted in checked baggage. Customers may bring power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh without special approval, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval. 'We seek customers' understanding that safety will always be our top priority.' Qantas has also cracked down on power banks. 'Baggage fitted with non-removable lithium batteries or power banks are forbidden,' the national carrier said. 'If in checked baggage the lithium battery or lithium power bank must be removed from the bag. 'The removed lithium battery or power bank must be in carry-on baggage only. 'Non-lithium batteries/power banks can remain fitted in the bag and carried as carry-on or checked baggage.' Virgin Australia has similar rules. 'Spare/loose batteries (including power banks/packs must be in carry-on baggage only and must be protected against short circuit by, placing in its original retail packaging, placing each battery in a separate plastic bag or protective pouch or insulating terminals by taping over exposed terminals,' the airline said.
Korea Herald
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
Air Busan plane destroyed in fire to be dismantled
The Air Busan plane damaged in a January fire that is believed to have started inside an overhead storage compartment is to be torn down, following the completion of an official investigation into the incident at Gimhae International Airport in Busan. The Airbus A321, currently located at the Hangar No. 51 of the airport, is slated to be disassembled starting this weekend and moved elsewhere by the end of the month, according to local media reports Wednesday. The decision was made after the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, under the Ministry of Land, Transport and Infrastructure, wrapped up its examination of the destroyed aircraft. The airplane was severely damaged in a fire that occurred at 10:26 p.m. on Jan. 28, as it was getting ready for takeoff. The accident left 27 injured as 169 passengers and seven crew members evacuated. Officials of the ARAIB told media it has already been concluded that the fire started from inside the cabin, citing the National Forensic Service's analysis that was made public on March 13. It was found that a portable power bank stored inside the overhead bin short-circuited and caught fire, although the extensive damage to the battery pack makes it impossible to determine how exactly it happened. Officials added that 3D-scanned images of the aircraft have been preserved. The investigation into the case will continue until the final report is released to the public. Authorities decided to dispose of the destroyed aircraft due to overcrowding at Gimhae International Airport, as well as concerns that the heavily damaged airplane could further degrade in the summer typhoon season. The Korea Airports Corp., operator of all civilian airports in Korea except for the main gateway Incheon Airport, had requested the plane's removal with the ARAIB. It cited an expected increase in air traffic in Gimhae, which is to be the primary gateway for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting slated for October in the nearby city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
Asahi Shimbun
04-07-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
Airlines in Japan to ban storing power banks in overhead lockers
A charred power bank found in the wreckage of an Air Busan aircraft (Provided by Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board of South Korea) Japan's transport ministry announced new air safety regulations that require passengers to keep power banks in plain sight and not in overhead bins to mitigate fire risks on board. The policy move follows a series of incidents in which lithium ion battery packs overheated or caught fire. From July 8, passengers on 23 Japan-based airlines will be required to keep their battery packs where cabin staff can monitor the devices during flight. In January, a power bank triggered a fire that destroyed an aircraft operated by budget carrier Air Busan at South Korea's Gimhae International Airport. All 176 passengers and crew members managed to evacuate but 27 were injured. The fire is believed to have started near the rear luggage compartment. The charred remains of a power bank were found nearby. Following the incident, South Korean airlines banned passengers from storing power banks in overhead compartments, requiring them to keep the devices close at hand at all times. On April 28, a power bank was blamed for a fire that forced a Hawaiian Airlines' flight from Honolulu to make an emergency landing at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. Most of the incidents were quickly dealt with by cabin attendants, according to Japan's transport ministry and other authorities. International aviation rules prohibit passengers from storing power banks in checked baggage. Batteries exceeding 160 watt-hours are banned due to the potential fire risk. Passengers may only carry two battery packs rated between 100 W and 160 W. Although the new request is not legally binding, airlines, in coordination with the transport ministry, are seeking maximum passenger cooperation.
