Smoke from Portable Battery on T'way Air Flight to Cheongju... 3 Crew Members Hospitalized

Similar Incident Occurs on Asiana Airlines Flight
Ministry of Land Launches Investigation... Stricter In-Flight Battery Management Standards Enforced

There was a commotion on a T'way Air passenger flight bound for Cheongju International Airport from Sanya, Hainan Province, China, when smoke began to emanate from a portable battery inside a passenger's bag.

According to the airline on January 10, at around 2:10 a.m. that day, smoke rose from a battery carried by a passenger on board flight TW634. There were 32 passengers and 6 crew members on the aircraft. The crew immediately removed the battery and submerged it in water as an initial response.

Smoke occurred from a passenger's portable battery on a T'way Air flight bound for Cheongju departing from Sanya, Hainan Province, China. (Photo for illustrative purposes only and unrelated to the article content).

As a result of the incident, five passengers and three crew members inhaled smoke. In particular, the three crew members who responded first were transported to a nearby hospital by emergency services for treatment. The remaining passengers reportedly returned home safely.

The aircraft arrived at Cheongju International Airport at 6:37 a.m., about 40 minutes earlier than the originally scheduled arrival time of 7:15 a.m. A T'way Air representative stated, "We are investigating the exact cause of the incident in cooperation with the relevant authorities."

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to investigate the incident, including whether battery capacity and carry-on standards were followed, as well as any possible violations of aviation security regulations.

In a similar case, on January 8, a fire broke out in a portable battery carried by a passenger on an Asiana Airlines flight from Incheon to Hong Kong. Although the crew immediately extinguished the fire using a fire extinguisher, one passenger sustained burns to their hand. The flight, carrying 284 passengers, departed as scheduled and arrived safely in Hong Kong without the need for an emergency landing thanks to the prompt response.

Recently, there have been a series of incidents involving portable battery fires on both domestic and international flights, leading to stricter management regulations. Generally, up to five portable batteries with capacities of 100Wh or less per person may be brought on board as carry-on items, but they are not allowed in checked baggage. The terminals must be insulated with tape and each battery must be stored in a separate plastic bag. Starting this year, passengers are required to carry the batteries on their person rather than in their bags.

Batteries exceeding 100Wh but not exceeding 160Wh may be carried on board with prior airline approval, up to two per person. Electronic devices equipped with lithium batteries are allowed both in checked and carry-on baggage, while disposable batteries are permitted only as carry-on items.