Jeju Air to Ban Use of Portable Batteries on All Flights

(BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA) — If you rely on a power bank to keep your phone alive in the air, Jeju Air is about to change your routine. Starting this week, the airline will stop passengers from using portable battery banks onboard, even though you can still carry them in your cabin bag.

For most travelers, this isn’t a “don’t bring it” rule. It’s a “don’t plug it in during the flight” rule. The practical impact is biggest on short-haul international hops, late-night domestic flights, and any trip where you need your phone for entry forms, transit QR codes, or a boarding pass on arrival.

Below is how Jeju Air’s new approach compares with the more common policy you’ll see on other carriers, plus exactly how to pack and plan so you don’t get stuck with a dead device.

Quick recommendation

If you expect to charge a phone or tablet during the flight, avoid Jeju Air for that segment until you’re comfortable flying fully pre-charged. If you’re fine boarding with 80–100% battery (and you’re carrying a compliant battery pack as backup for after landing), Jeju Air can still be a perfectly workable pick.

Jeju Air vs the “typical airline” approach (what’s different)

Most airlines focus on where batteries go (carry-on only) and how they’re handled (protected from short circuits). Jeju Air is now going a step further by restricting in-cabin use of power banks.

Here’s the side-by-side view you can actually use while booking.

Jeju Air’s move is a bigger deal than it sounds, because it changes your in-flight behavior, not just how you pack.

1) What Jeju Air is changing: a ban on onboard use of power banks

Jeju Air is implementing a cabin rule that blocks passengers from using portable battery banks onboard. That means no plugging your phone, tablet, handheld game, or other USB device into a power bank during the flight.

This applies across the network. It covers both domestic routes inside Korea and international flights.

It also goes beyond earlier “charging restrictions” many travelers already know. For example, some guidelines focused on not charging a power bank through an aircraft USB port. Jeju Air is now targeting the more common behavior: using the power bank as the charger.

What you can still do is straightforward:

• Bring your devices onboard as normal.
• Pre-charge your phone, tablet, laptop, and headphones before boarding.
• Carry compliant power banks in your cabin baggage, within Jeju Air’s limits.

So, think of this as a “no in-flight power bank charging” rule, not a blanket electronics ban.

You’ll see the exact effective date and the official before-and-after wording summarized in the comparison tool that accompanies this story.

2) Why Jeju Air is doing this: lithium-ion risk, and a Busan reminder

Lithium-ion batteries are a known cabin safety concern because failures can escalate quickly. The industry term you’ll hear is “thermal runaway.” That’s when a cell overheats, damages neighboring cells, and feeds a chain reaction.

The biggest triggers are usually mundane:

• Physical damage from drops or crushing pressure in a tightly packed bag
• Manufacturing defects that show up under load
• Short circuits from exposed terminals touching metal objects
• Heat build-up in confined spaces

Jeju Air’s timing also reflects recent memory in Busan. In January 2025, an Air Busan aircraft fire at Gimhae International Airport was tentatively linked by authorities to a power bank in an overhead bin. Even when investigations take time, airlines react quickly to patterns that look preventable.

Jeju Air’s stated rationale is simple: fires involving portable batteries have occurred domestically and overseas, and the airline wants fewer ignition opportunities in-flight.

It’s also worth separating two concepts:

• Prevention: Reduce how often high-load battery use happens in the air.
• Response: Improve how quickly crew can spot and contain an overheating device.

This policy is about prevention. Jeju Air’s other measures lean toward response and detection.

You’ll see the exact effective date and the precise “before vs. after” language in the tool summary included with this article.

3) How you’ll be notified, and how enforcement is likely to feel at the airport

Jeju Air isn’t relying on fine print. Passengers can expect prompts and reminders in multiple places, including the airline’s website, KakaoTalk messages, self-service kiosk check-in screens, and airport counter interactions.

In real life, enforcement usually shows up in two ways:

• A reminder during check-in or boarding that in-flight use is prohibited
• A request to show that your power bank is stored appropriately and protected

If you’re planning around the rule, treat boarding like you’re about to lose access to your charger for a couple hours.

Do this before you leave the gate area:

• Download boarding passes to your phone wallet.
• Save critical screens offline (hotel address, eSIM QR, rail ticket).
• Screenshot any app-based immigration or arrival forms.
• Put your phone in low-power mode before takeoff.

Jeju Air had already been tightening procedures in steps. The airline introduced items like fire-suppression pouches, short-circuit prevention steps, and more visible storage expectations.

It also added overhead-bin temperature indicators and disposal procedures for found battery items. There were also restrictions on certain lithium-powered personal devices, such as wireless hair irons.

You don’t need to memorize the timeline. You just need to expect more attention on batteries at the gate than you may be used to.

4) What you can still carry: quantity and capacity limits are unchanged

Here’s the part many travelers will be relieved to hear: you can still bring power banks onboard Jeju Air, and the core carriage limits are unchanged.

As with most airlines worldwide, the big rules are:

• Carry-on only: Do not put power banks in checked baggage.
• Capacity-based limits: Allowances depend on watt-hours (Wh), not marketing claims.
• Short-circuit protection: Terminals must be protected from contact with metal.
• Accessible storage: Crew may require batteries to stay on your person or otherwise visible.

Why carry-on only? Because if a battery starts heating or smoking, the crew needs immediate access. A fire risk in the cargo hold is harder to detect and harder to reach fast.

Also, “visible” does not necessarily mean “in your hand for three hours.” In practice, it often means:

• In a seat pocket (if allowed during the phase of flight)
• In a small pouch under the seat
• In a place you can immediately grab, not buried in an overhead bin

Overhead bins can be riskier because heat and smoke can go unnoticed longer. A tightly packed roller bag can also crush a battery pack.

The exact watt-hour thresholds and unit caps are summarized in the baggage allowance tool that appears with this article. If you carry medical-power spares, pay close attention to the special allowance and approval expectations.

5) How to stay compliant: Wh ratings, safe packing, and what to do if you’re unsure

Jeju Air provides a watt-hour calculator, and it’s worth using if your battery bank is labeled only in mAh. Airlines regulate by Wh because it reflects total energy, which is what matters for heat and containment risk.

Here’s the simple way to handle it without getting technical:

1. Check the power bank label for Wh. Many list it directly.
2. If it lists mAh and voltage (V), the Wh can be calculated.
3. If the rating is missing or unreadable, treat it as a problem item.

If you can’t clearly identify the rating, don’t gamble at the gate. Ask at check-in what your options are.

Safe packing is just as important as capacity limits. Do these every time:

• Put each power bank in its own case or pouch.
• Cover exposed terminals or ports if the design makes contact possible.
• Keep batteries away from loose coins, keys, or metal adapters.

Also remember: Jeju Air already prohibited charging power banks or e-cigarettes in the cabin. This new rule goes further by restricting power bank use for charging other devices.

What if you show up with a non-compliant item?

Don’t try to “sneak it” onboard and hope nobody notices. That’s when you risk delays, confiscation, or being forced to repack at the worst moment.

Instead, ask staff at the counter or gate about the realistic options. Depending on the airport and the item, that can mean returning it to a companion, using a storage/mail service, or removing it from your travel plan.

Price, comfort, and points: how this changes the “best airline” choice

Jeju Air often wins on price on Korea–Japan and Korea–Southeast Asia runs, and it can be a smart buy when you’re traveling light. But this rule changes the value equation if you’re the kind of traveler who “runs hot” on battery.

Comfort and convenience

If you’re flying a short hop, you can usually pre-charge and coast. The pain shows up when you stack delays, tight connections, or arrival tasks that demand a working phone.

That’s especially true if you land and immediately need:

• An app-based train ticket
• A QR-based hotel check-in or late check-in message
• A rideshare pickup verification
• A border or health declaration confirmation page

Miles and points implications

Jeju Air is a low-cost carrier, so your upside for traditional mileage earning is limited compared with flying a full-service airline in an alliance.

If you’re trying to build a long-haul balance for trips to places like the UAE, a positioning flight on Jeju Air can be the weak link in your points plan. A full-service alternative may cost more but can help you accumulate redeemable miles and elite credit.

That matters if you’re piecing together Korea-to-UAE travel on a single strategy, like earning toward future premium-cabin awards or keeping elite benefits active.

Use case scenarios: which option fits your trip?

Choose Jeju Air if…

• You’re flying a short route and can board with a full charge.
• You’re traveling with a fully charged backup phone.
• You mainly need the power bank after landing, not during the flight.
• The fare savings are real, and you’re traveling light.

Choose another airline (when possible) if…

• You need to charge in-flight to work, especially on a tablet or hotspot.
• You’re arriving to a tight connection and can’t risk a dead phone.
• You depend on QR codes for transit on arrival.
• You’re chasing miles, elite status, or alliance benefits.

The nuanced verdict

Jeju Air’s new rule is strict, but it’s not hard to live with if you plan for it. You can still carry compliant power banks, and you can still use your devices onboard. You just can’t rely on your usual mid-flight top-up.

If you have a Jeju Air flight on or after January 22, 2026, charge everything before you board, keep your battery packs protected and accessible, and treat your phone like it needs to survive until landing without help.

→ In a NutshellVisaVerge.com

Jeju Air to Ban Use of Portable Batteries on All Flights

Starting January 2026, Jeju Air will prohibit passengers from using power banks to charge devices mid-flight. While carrying compliant batteries in carry-on luggage remains permitted, they must not be used during the journey. This proactive safety measure targets the risk of lithium-ion battery fires. Travelers should pre-charge electronics and prepare digital documents for offline use to avoid arrival complications caused by dead device batteries.