Passenger's Power Bank Catches Fire on Makassar-Jakarta Flight

The management of Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport has confirmed an incident involving a passenger’s power bank catching fire during Batik Air flight ID6143, travelling from Makassar (UPG) to Jakarta (CGK) on Thursday (30/7).

“Based on the information we received, it is true that a passenger’s power bank caught fire during a flight from Sultan Hasanuddin Airport to Soekarno-Hatta Airport,” said Taufan Yudhistira, Acting Branch Communication & CSR Department Head of Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, in Makassar.

Immediately after the aircraft landed at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, the airline’s Aviation Security officers handed the passenger over to the Class I Regional Airport Authority Office, accompanied by Airport Security. Airport operations were confirmed to have continued as normal during the handling process.

Identification revealed that the burning power bank had a capacity of 37 watt-hours (Wh). This figure is actually within the safe limits permitted for carriage in aircraft cabins.

Taufan explained that power bank regulations refer to the Circular Letter of the Director General of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transportation Number 15 of 2018 and the Decree of the Minister of Transportation Number 39 of 2024. The regulations state that devices below 100 Wh may be carried in the cabin, while capacities between 100–160 Wh require airline permission during check-in.

Power banks exceeding 160 Wh, or those without specified capacity, are strictly prohibited on flights. These power banks must be carried in the cabin and are not permitted in checked baggage; furthermore, they must not be used to charge devices during the flight. Passengers are also limited to a maximum of two units.