Air passengers departing from Hong Kong have said they were unaware of a new rule limiting the number of power banks they could carry to two, with few reminder signs visible at the airport on the first day of its enforcement on Sunday.
Hong Kong International Airport announced on Saturday night that departing passengers were restricted to carrying no more than two power banks.
Citing new regulations from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Airport Authority said the global aviation body had introduced the requirements to address emerging aviation safety risks posed by lithium battery power banks.
On Sunday morning, no specific notices concerning the latest regulation were displayed at check-in areas, and no public announcements were broadcast to alert passengers.
Most of the existing signs only reminded passengers not to place lithium batteries in checked luggage and not to use power banks during flights.
Just one Civil Aviation Department notice about the new rules was evident near the Great Bay Airlines counters in the departure hall.
A Hong Kong Airlines staff member told the South China Morning Post that they would remind passengers about the new rules.
Many of the passengers the SCMP spoke to were unaware of the new limit on carrying power banks on board, adding that airline staff had not informed them.
Damien, a 40-year-old passenger from Shenzhen, said he did not know about the regulation when he checked in.
"It should have and will be good [to put up more notices], because I do not know," he said.
He added that he usually brought one power bank with him, so the new rule would not cause any inconvenience.
Travelling with three family members to Japan, he said they had brought three power banks in total.
But he questioned why the cap was set at two power banks. "If I bring a big one, is it a question? Is it a matter of size?", he said.
Student Hana Wang, in her twenties, was also unaware of the change. "With this new regulation, there should be more reminders," she said.
She noted she had brought only one power bank and described the rule as reasonable for ensuring flight safety. "I do not think anyone would bring more than two power banks when travelling," Wang added.
Liang Hun-di, 53, said she had only learned of the regulation from the news and urged the authorities to actively promote it. "I did not see any notice at the airport stating [the new rule]," she said.
As a frequent traveller, Liang said she was mindful of power bank regulations and did not expect the new limit to cause any inconvenience.
"Because you cannot use the power bank on the plane anyway," she said. "And once you get off the plane and reach the hotel, or like me, who is travelling with a tour group by coach, charging ports are always available."
Hong Kong's flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways, said the measures would take effect immediately and apply to all its flights, while its budget arm, HK Express, said it would strictly enforce the requirements.
Hong Kong Airlines also announced that the new rules would take immediate effect.
"All power banks must be carried in cabin baggage only and are strictly prohibited in checked baggage," it said.
It added that recharging power banks or using them to charge electronic devices was also prohibited during the flight.
The latest clampdown follows the Civil Aviation Department's ban last April on passengers of all four local airlines using power banks on board, charging them, or storing them in overhead bins.
