Japan to ban in-flight use of power banks starting in April (www.asahi.com)
from throws_lemy@reddthat.com to world@lemmy.world on 28 Feb 16:34
https://reddthat.com/post/61093514

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WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world on 28 Feb 17:20 next collapse

The new rule will limit passengers to a total of two spare batteries, including power banks.

While there is no limit on the number of spare batteries below 100 watt-hours, carrying power banks exceeding 160 watt-hours will remain prohibited.

Power banks will be capped at two units regardless of power capacity.

Do you need to be intellectually challenged to understand this?

Political class whore: “Should we regulate the corporations producing these faulty batteries?”

Corporate Lobbyist: “nah, let’s just ban consumers from using them when they need them the most”

Political class whore: “yes, master”

Warl0k3@lemmy.world on 28 Feb 18:00 next collapse

They’re doing that too:

Anker Japan Co., a major Chinese-affiliated mobile battery manufacturer, has issued another round of recalls for certain products sold over the last few years. Following an expansion of its recall scope, the economy ministry has requested the company to conduct a comprehensive inspection of all products sold in Japan.

The concern driving this ban is primarily centered around defective units already in circulation, and the acceptance that they cannot realistically be certain about their ability to prevent manufacturers in other countries from shipping in more potentially defective units. Most modern airplanes I have seen have in-seat USB charging ports, which at least cuts down on the need some, and a few hours without a charged device is not going to end the lives of anyone traveling (especially since this rule has carve outs for medical devices, I’m told).

pivot_root@lemmy.world on 28 Feb 19:30 collapse

Most modern airplanes I have seen have in-seat USB charging ports

You probably shouldn’t trust those to actually work. Or even to be safe enough to not kill whatever you plug into them.

feannag@sh.itjust.works on 28 Feb 19:32 next collapse

Also you shouldn’t plug your phone into random USB ports, although i guess carrying a charge pass through adapter is an option.

Warl0k3@lemmy.world on 28 Feb 19:38 next collapse

If you’re that worried about it (and don’t have at least a passthrough charging cable), you can just turn your devices off and bring a book. I don’t know why you’d be worried about it killing your devices though, if a plane’s electrical system has failed so badly it’s going to fry things on the USB bus then you’ve got much bigger problems.

pivot_root@lemmy.world on 28 Feb 21:52 collapse

Damaged ports with shorted pins, voltage fluctuations, etc.

The passenger electrical system is as isolated from the the rest of the plane as possible, but if the entire thing fails, sure then yeah you’re fucked and have bigger problems

deranger@sh.itjust.works on 28 Feb 20:01 collapse

Just use your regular charger, there are typically outlets under the seat in front of you on B737/A320 and larger. Even many regional jets have them these days. I never plug into a random USB port.

frongt@lemmy.zip on 28 Feb 18:05 collapse

If you really really need to charge your phone on a plane, all modern ones have AC and USB.

gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works on 28 Feb 18:13 next collapse

Have you tried using them though…? Half of the time they’re broken/unpowered for some reason or the internal retention springs are so utterly fucked that it doesn’t maintain consistent contact with the plug and your charger just falls out.

In my experience, the USB plugs are even more uncommon, and USB-C ones doubly so - and they’re always low power ones, so you’re fucked if you’re trying to drive a laptop off of that.

thesohoriots@lemmy.world on 28 Feb 18:42 collapse

all modern ones

laughs in outdated aircraft that always run my route

INeedANewUserName@piefed.social on 28 Feb 19:58 collapse

In this thread “This isn’t a problem for the 0.1% of the world so therefor not a problem”.