CAAM issues Safety Directive 01/2026 on power banks
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has issued Safety Directive 01/2026 on the carriage of lithium-ion battery power banks by passengers and crew.
The directive is dated 14 April 2026 and takes effect on 30 April 2026. It implements newly adopted International Civil Aviation Organization requirements under the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air.
Passengers are limited to two power banks
Under the revised requirements, all power banks are limited to two per passenger. The previous two-device limit applied only to high-capacity spare batteries rated between 100 and 160 Wh.
Airline customer service personnel must verify the quantity carried in cabin baggage and ensure power banks and spare batteries are individually protected against short circuits.
Power bank recharging and device charging are prohibited in flight
Passengers are prohibited from recharging power banks during a flight. Power banks must also not be used to recharge portable electronic devices while on board.
CAAM directs airlines to advise passengers not to store power banks in overhead compartments. They should instead be carried on the person or kept within immediate reach so that a thermal runaway event can be identified and managed quickly.
Airlines must update procedures, training and passenger messages
Airline operators must update check-in announcements, boarding briefings and in-flight safety messages, and revise relevant standard operating procedures, manuals and training programmes.
Cabin crew must remain prepared to respond to lithium-ion battery incidents, while airport screening personnel must enforce the two-device limit. CAAM directs air operators to complete implementation by 30 April 2026.
