"Airlines Should Provide Plastic Bags and Require Passengers to Store Batteries Inside"
"Use Transparent Plastic Bags for Visual Inspection"
"Record Passengers Carrying Batteries in the System for Monitoring"
On the morning of the 30th, at Gimhae International Airport in Gangseo-gu, Busan, the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, Busan Police Agency, Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters, and the National Forensic Service conducted an on-site inspection to ensure safety ahead of a joint fire investigation. Photo by Yonhap News
The cause of the fire on the Air Busan passenger plane at Gimhae International Airport is presumed to be luggage placed on the overhead bin, sparking calls to strengthen the management of carry-on items. Amid this, an aviation accident expert and former pilot offered advice on how to safely bring portable batteries onboard.
On the 3rd, Professor Choi In-chan of the Department of Aviation Operations at Silla University appeared on YTN Radio’s “Wise Radio Life” and stated, “Although the exact investigation results regarding the Air Busan aircraft fire have not yet been released, there is a sufficient possibility that a portable battery was the direct cause of the fire.” He added, “Portable batteries, that is, lithium-ion batteries, have a very high energy density, so there is always a risk of fire,” but cautioned, “It is premature to make a definitive judgment. Based on the information available so far, it is difficult to conclude that the portable battery was the direct cause of the fire.”
Professor Choi explained, “Many problems arise from batteries brought onboard, but since electronic devices such as laptops and smartphones have become essential in daily life, it is practically very difficult to impose restrictions or bans on carrying them onboard. Therefore, neither international regulations nor domestic laws impose absolute restrictions but instead provide recommendations through limits on quantity, capacity, and cargo handling standards.”
On the afternoon of the 3rd, a notice about prohibited checked baggage items is displayed on a screen near the check-in counters at the Departure Hall of Terminal 1, Incheon International Airport. Photo by Yonhap News
Portable batteries must be carried onboard. However, there are no separate regulations on how to store them inside the cabin. Therefore, even if portable batteries are placed in the overhead bins, there is practically no way to regulate this. The problem is that if a fire breaks out while a portable battery with a high fire risk is stored in an unseen place such as an overhead bin, it is difficult to detect early.
In response, Professor Choi proposed, “A relatively quick method that can be implemented without complicated laws or system construction is to check for the presence of portable batteries when passengers first go to the ticket counter to check in.” He continued, “If a passenger has a portable battery, the airline should provide a plastic bag for storing it. The reason for using a transparent plastic bag is so that the condition of the battery can always be visually checked.” He added, “Before final boarding, passengers must present their boarding passes to the flight attendants, who will then identify those carrying portable batteries. The flight attendants should remind those passengers of safety precautions until they reach their destination.”
He also said, “Airlines must input the information of passengers carrying portable batteries into their computer systems so that flight attendants can monitor which passengers in which rows and seats have brought portable batteries onboard during the flight.” He added, “This is a method that can be quickly implemented without complex system construction while maximizing passenger convenience. To my knowledge, no airline currently implements this, but it would contribute to enhancing aviation safety.”
Earlier, at around 10:15 p.m. on the 28th of last month, a fire broke out at the rear of an Air Busan passenger plane preparing to take off for Hong Kong from the Gimhae Airport apron, carrying a total of 176 people (169 passengers, 6 crew members, and 1 maintenance worker). All onboard safely evacuated via emergency slides, but seven passengers sustained minor injuries during the process.
Many passengers and crew reported hearing a “crackling” sound from the overhead bin in the tail section of the aircraft, followed by smoke and flames. This has led to speculation that the fire may have started from a portable battery or electronic device stored in the luggage compartment. The portable battery, presumed to be the ignition point, was stored in the overhead bin, delaying fire detection, and the flames spread rapidly before cabin crew could attempt to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers.
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