Three airlines in Taiwan have instituted a prohibition on stowing Bluetooth earbuds along with their charging cases in checked baggage.
EVA Air and Uni Air have declared that Bluetooth earbuds and their associated charger cases fall under the category of portable electronic devices.
According to international aviation safety standards, these devices must be completely turned off when placed in checked luggage, as they are not permitted to remain in standby or sleep mode.
Additionally, since charging remains active when the earbuds are stored in their cases, this action would violate international guidelines. Thus, the airlines have stipulated that such cases must be carried as part of hand luggage.
Tigerair Taiwan remarked that earbud charging cases, much like portable electric fans, contain built-in lithium-ion batteries. Therefore, they are explicitly prohibited from being checked in during flights.
The regulations concerning earbuds and their charging cases by Starlux Airlines, China Airlines, and Mandarin Airlines appear less stringent; however, Starlux did emphasize that any portable electronic devices in checked luggage must remain powered off throughout the flight.
Passengers must also ensure the batteries meet international specifications if they opt to transport them.
Moreover, travelers utilizing China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines are encouraged to carry their earbuds and charger cases in hand luggage, given the prohibitions on lithium-ion batteries and portable chargers in checked baggage, according to both airlines.
In a separate context, ferry passengers are also barred from including portable mobile phone chargers in checked luggage following an alarming incident aboard the Nanhai Star 1.
This ferry, serving the routes between several islets in Penghu County, experienced a fire caused by a passenger’s portable charger prior to its departure, as reported by the Maritime and Port Bureau.
The bureau has reiterated to passengers the necessity of ensuring that portable chargers possess valid certifications issued by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection before boarding ferries, noting their exclusion from checked luggage while requiring them to be in hand luggage and within clear view at all times.
Passengers are also advised against using chargers that exhibit significant damage, deformation, or signs of overheating, as these conditions present considerable safety hazards.
Source link: Taipeitimes.com.
