Number of battery fires in the cabin...post-pandemic trend

It was analyzed that the number of battery fires in the cabin is also increasing as demand for overseas travel, which had been reduced due to COVID-19, has recovered.

According to data obtained from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport by Lee Yeon-hee of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, a total of 13 in-flight battery fires have occurred since 2020, with six cases last year and five cases between January and August this year, most of which have occurred after COVID-19.

By airline, the number of fires since 2020 has been four for Korean Air, two for Jeju Air and two for Air Busan, and one for other airlines.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport demanded caution, saying that auxiliary batteries are considered aviation hazards and require passengers to carry them on board, but the product is getting thinner and fires often occur between seats.