The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will stop providing plastic bags to enhance the safety management of aircraft auxiliary batteries and will instead provide insulating tape. All national airlines have been mandated to keep containment bags on hand.
On the 27th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport noted that as a result of checking the in-flight safety management system for auxiliary batteries implemented since March, it has prepared supplementary measures reflecting concerns about environmental pollution and on-site confusion. This measure, which will take effect on Sept. 1, complements the safety measures established after the January AIR BUSAN aircraft fire incident.
In the future, passengers will be provided with insulating tape by the airline at check-in counters, security checkpoints, and boarding gates to prevent short circuits. They can wrap the metal terminals of the auxiliary battery with insulating tape to prevent the terminals from coming into contact with each other or with metal objects, which could cause sparks. The government has also decided to allow passengers to autonomously use other methods, such as bag storage, terminal protection caps, and protective pouches, in addition to insulating tape.
Fire risk management in the cabin will also be further strengthened. Starting in September, all national airlines must carry at least two containment bags (Fire Containment Bag) that can safely isolate a fire from auxiliary batteries or electronic devices after initial suppression. Additionally, temperature-sensitive stickers must be attached to the outside of overhead compartments. The color of the sticker will change if the internal temperature rises, allowing crew members and passengers to recognize signs of trouble early.
Crew training will also enhance effectiveness. Each airline plans to strengthen response training, including the actual use of fire extinguishers, based on various fire scenarios and revise manuals accordingly. In-flight announcements and oral instructions from crew members will be reinforced to repeatedly inform about the prohibition of storing and using auxiliary batteries in the overhead compartments.
The government has been discussing the strengthening of auxiliary battery safety management on international stages, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Asia-Pacific Aviation Directors' Conference, and plans to promote the reinforcement of related standards at the ICAO General Assembly in September.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to focus on checking the implementation of auxiliary battery safety management by airlines throughout September and will take follow-up measures, such as improvement orders, for any deficiencies.
Yoo Kyung-soo, head of aviation safety policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, 'This supplementary measure is aimed at reducing passenger inconvenience while enhancing fire risk management and response capabilities,' adding, 'We will continue to monitor the implementation situation and prepare additional measures to harmonize with international standards.'