"Air Busan Announces Policy to Minimize Fire Risk by Controlling Portable Battery Storage in Overhead Bins"

Pre-boarding Check for Auxiliary Batteries in Carry-on Luggage
Expanded Consent Procedures, Enhanced Announcements, and Strengthened Crew Training

Air Busan (CEO Jeong Byeong-seop) announced on the 4th that it will take proactive measures to minimize the risk of in-flight fires.

Air Busan announced that it will establish and implement a policy to minimize the risk of in-flight fires starting from the 7th. As the number of auxiliary batteries carried onboard has significantly increased, leading to a higher frequency of abnormal phenomena such as overheating, Air Busan officials explained that the policy was established based on the judgment that immediate detection is crucial for prompt initial response.

A key point is the procedure to pre-check whether auxiliary batteries are carried in hand luggage.

Air Busan will pre-check the presence of batteries in hand luggage at the boarding gate and strengthen control so that only luggage confirmed at the boarding gate can be stored in the overhead compartments onboard.

By inspecting whether hand luggage contains batteries at the boarding gate, attaching separate markings such as stickers or tags, and allowing only luggage with such markings to be stored in the overhead compartments onboard, the airline plans to pilot this on certain routes starting from the 7th and then expand it to all routes.

Auxiliary Battery Label Sticker and TAG.

Considering the practical limitations that make it impossible to completely ban auxiliary batteries onboard, the purpose of this policy is to encourage passengers to self-check and create conditions for rapid initial response in case of battery abnormalities or fire, explained an Air Busan official.

Air Busan will implement a consent procedure regarding the prohibition of auxiliary batteries in overhead compartments during reservation, ticketing, and check-in stages, in addition to existing guidance, and will strengthen customer notifications by sending separate text messages to customers one day before departure.

In-flight announcements will also be increased from twice to three times. Air Busan has already applied revised announcements with more specific and clear content since January 31.

To ensure rapid initial response and effective fire suppression in case of in-flight fires, cabin crew training will be significantly enhanced.

Air Busan has produced its own educational fire suppression demonstration video and is conducting immediate training for all crew members, along with scenario-based drills considering different stages of fire.

The airline also plans to improve its fire suppression training facilities within its headquarters, creating an environment suitable for crew training under realistic conditions by installing smoke generators. Air Busan officials stated that they plan to further enhance expertise through training completed at local fire departments and other specialized institutions.

Additionally, Air Busan will purchase equipment (Lithium battery fire containment pouch) that can minimize the risk of thermal runaway and explosion in case of battery fires and will equip aircraft with these devices. Fire-resistant gloves will also be added onboard to assist crew members in immediate fire suppression.

Jeong Byeong-seop, CEO of Air Busan, said, “Air Busan has proactively established strengthened policies to alleviate passengers’ concerns and anxieties about in-flight fires and to secure a safe travel environment,” adding, “We will continue to make efforts to raise safety awareness and enhance capabilities among our employees, as well as to promote a culture of aviation safety.”