Cheongju International Airport. Photo courtesy of Cheongju Airport
A portable power bank caught fire inside a passenger jet just before takeoff at Cheongju International Airport, forcing all 168 people on board to evacuate.
Fire authorities said the power bank, which a passenger was holding, ignited at about 7:30 p.m. on the 10th aboard a Jeju Air flight scheduled to depart Cheongju for Jeju.
The device caught fire before the aircraft moved onto the runway. Nearby passengers immediately smothered it with clothing, and a flight attendant placed it in a pouch designed to contain lithium battery fires, extinguishing the flames quickly.
As smoke spread through the cabin, all 168 passengers were evacuated. No injuries have been reported so far, and Jeju Air said it was reviewing whether the aircraft could return to normal service after ventilation work.
Rules on Carrying Power Banks Aboard Aircraft
Regulations on power banks aboard aircraft are strict. Under Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport guidelines, power banks cannot be placed in checked baggage and must be carried into the cabin.
Capacity limits also apply. Devices rated at 100 watt-hours or less may be brought on board without restriction, while those between 100 and 160 watt-hours require airline approval. Products exceeding 160 watt-hours are banned from the cabin altogether.
A typical 20,000-milliampere-hour power bank sold on the market rates about 72 to 74 watt-hours, meeting the threshold for carry-on. Still, such devices can ignite from overcharging or external impact, making it important not to charge or leave them unattended during a flight.