Recently, a netizen wasThreadsHe complained in a PO post: “I’m really angry! I’m going to South Korea, but my bank charger was thrown away. My bank charger is very expensive, why should I throw it away? Isn’t the battery capacity and other information clearly written, and they said mine is not clearly marked, which is inexplicable!” The PO post has been viewed by more than 1.6 million netizens and has caused heated discussions. Many netizens have reminded the latest ICAO aviation regulations for mobile power supplies and pointed out that it is not unfair to be thrown away!
Why do airlines in various countries now see mobile power supply labels as Wh, not mAh? Here is an explanation:
Due to numerous accidents involving power banks spontaneously igniting on board planes last year, airlines in various countries have new regulations for passengers to bring power banks or Bluetooth headsets on board. In particular, Korean and Chinese airlines where the accident occurred have the strictest regulations. After the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) formulated new safety standards from April 8, 2026 (newly added, each passenger can only carry up to 2 mobile power supplies with a capacity of less than 160Wh; the use of mobile power supplies in the cabin is prohibited: the use of seat USB sockets to charge mobile power supplies is prohibited), airlines from all countries are complying with ICAO regulations. Regarding the marking part of the mobile power supply, it is stipulated that the battery casing must clearly indicate the capacity (Wh). If the marking is unclear or worn, it may be confiscated.
Note: Each airline has different regulations, please refer to the announcement on the airline’s official website!
Why do airlines in various countries now see power bank labels as Wh instead of mAh? There are two main reasons:
1.Wh is ICAO’s only standard for lithium battery hazard assessment:
Wh is a unit that represents the “total energy that the battery can actually release”, while mAh (milliamp hours) only represents the capacity of the battery at a specific voltage. Since most current mobile power supplies support PD fast charging, they are no longer just 5V voltage. Different mobile power supplies have different operating voltages (V). It is impossible to know its true energy amount by looking at mAh (milliamp hours) alone. According to new regulations issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for lithium battery power banks, Wh is the only criterion for risk assessment of lithium batteries in hand luggage.
Image source: Korean Air
2. Aviation safety personnel can quickly and accurately assess the potential risks of lithium batteries:
The Wh (Watt-hour) mark of mobile power supplies is mainly to allow airlines and security personnel to accurately assess the potential risks of lithium batteries. If only mAh is marked, flight safety personnel cannot judge whether it can meet the international flight safety standards below 100Wh, so passengers will be refused to bring it on board in accordance with its announcement specifications.
However, flight safety authorities in various countries have different standards for mandatory labeling of Wh. According to a fan of Xiaofengzi 3C fan group, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced that mobile power supplies only need to have a mAh mark, and do not necessarily have a Wh mark. Due to the lessons learned from internal fires, Korean Air requires that mobile power banks must be placed separately in a transparent zipper bag when boarding, and USB ports and power holes must be covered with “insulating tape.” The requirement for Wh markings is very strict, so you must pay special attention when flying on Korean Air!
Since most of the new mobile power supplies in the market are marked with Wh in compliance with FAA aviation regulations, and even comply with mainland China’s CCC certification requirements, products that have not yet been marked with Wh are probably in stock products that have been produced for a long time.
If you take the photo of the power bank from Threads PO, the product should be [Fateir 10000mAh all-around rechargeable power bank], and the BSMI certification number is R3C779.Database of the Bureau of Standards and Inspection of the Ministry of Economic AffairsThe query system has been marked as [expires】, coupled with the traditional mobile power supply that the product has a socket, the risk is relatively high. Since the power bank has its own safe service life, if the old one is gone, the new one will not come. I suggested that the original PO should replace it with a power bank that complies with the latest aviation regulations!
Image source: ThreadsandCommodity Inspection Bureau
Source: KOCPC Chinese