Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma has called for a ban on power banks on flights to and from India following a fire incident involving a power bank aboard an IndiGo aircraft carrying 191 passengers from Delhi, according to livemint.com. Sharma questioned why airlines and aviation regulators have not prohibited power banks on flights, citing safety concerns linked to such fire incidents.
Sharma made his call in a post on X, highlighting the existing rule requiring passengers to keep devices in airplane mode but advocating for a complete ban on power banks during air travel. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently banned the carriage and use of a specific power bank model, the MOBIKINS MK-PB-04, after a fire incident involving the device, according to a communication dated September 29.
The DGCA's ban prohibits the power bank from being carried on board any flight to, from, or within India, whether as passenger baggage or cargo. This move underscores concerns about the safety risks posed by certain power banks during flights. Sharma's public statement has renewed attention on the need for stricter safety measures to prevent onboard fire incidents linked to portable charging devices.
The DGCA's directive on the MOBIKINS MK-PB-04 power bank took effect in late September, marking the first specific regulatory action against power banks on Indian flights following recent fire incidents, as reported by livemint.com.