Image representation: Apple air pods. Photo by Getty Images
Taipei, Taiwan: Several airlines in Taiwan began prohibiting the check-in of Bluetooth headphones in order to ensure flight safety, Taiwanese online newspaper Taiwan News said.
Airlines such as EVA Air, UNI Air, and Tigerair Taiwan have directed passengers to carry their headphones with them and cannot be used during the flight.
The airlines pointed out that Bluetooth headsets cannot be checked-in because the wireless charging box belongs to the category of "power bank" and needs to be disposed of in accordance with the specifications of spare batteries and power bank devices, and can only be carried by hand, calling on passengers to maintain flight safety.
Tigerair Taiwan said that Bluetooth earbuds, including their charging case, were regarded as personal portable electronic devices (PEDs) , and are prohibited from being checked-in. They can only be carried on board in handheld/carry-on mode, must be completely turned off and cannot be in standby or hibernation mode.
Starlux Airlines, a full service carrier headquartered in Taiwan, did not issue statements that singled out Bluetooth earbuds. It said that there are currently no specific regulations for Bluetooth headsets, but lithium batteries must meet the testing requirements of the United Nations Testing and Manual of Standards.”
The Taiwanese carrier pointed out that “when checking in electronic equipment with lithium batteries, measures must be taken to protect the equipment from damage and prevent accidental activation, and the equipment must be completely turned off, not in sleep or sleep mode, unless the lithium-ion battery power is less than 2.7Wh or the lithium content of the lithium metal battery is less than 0.3g.”
According to the regulations on the official website of China Airlines, the state-owned flag-carrier of Taiwan, power banks and spare lithium batteries cannot be checked in “for flight safety," and should be carried with with the person and "properly packaged.”
