Seoul: All South Korean passenger airlines have completely banned the in-flight use of power banks amid growing safety concerns following a series of battery-related fire incidents, industry sources said Friday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, T'way Air Co. announced on Thursday that it will prohibit passengers from charging smartphones and other electronic devices with portable power banks during flights beginning Monday. With this decision, T'way Air became the last of the country's 11 passenger airlines to adopt the measure.

Low-cost carrier Eastar Jet Co. was the first South Korean airline to ban in-flight use of power banks in October. Jeju Air Co., the country's largest budget carrier, implemented the policy in late January. Flag carrier Korean Air Co. and its four affiliates - Asiana Airlines Inc., Jin Air Co., Air Busan Co., and Air Seoul Inc. - also introduced the ban in late January.

Airlines have stated that passengers may still carry power banks in the cabin, but the terminals must be covered with insulating tape or the devices placed in a separate pouch, kept within reach at all times, and not stored in overhead compartments. Concerns over the use of portable battery packs on aircraft intensified following a major fire involving an Air Busan plane at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, approximately 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in January 2025.