The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has prohibited the MOBIKINS MK-PB-04 power bank on all domestic and international flights in India. This safety mandate follows a fire incident involving the device on an IndiGo aircraft on October 11, 2026, which forced an emergency diversion.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an immediate ban on the transport of the MOBIKINS MK-PB-04 power bank model across all flight operations in India. The directive applies to all items in cabin baggage, checked luggage, and cargo holds, citing serious safety risks associated with this specific device.
The regulatory action follows a mid-air fire incident on October 11, 2026. An IndiGo flight, identified as 6E 6115, was traveling from Delhi to Chennai when a passenger's power bank ignited in the overhead storage bin. The situation forced the crew to divert the aircraft to Hyderabad for an emergency landing. While no major injuries were reported, the incident highlighted the potential hazards posed by specific hardware faults within aircraft environments.
For airlines, this mandate creates a new operational requirement. Ground staff and security teams are now tasked with identifying and confiscating these specific power banks during pre-flight screening. This adds a layer of compliance responsibility to airline operators, who must ensure that passengers are aware of the prohibited item before boarding.
Aviation safety regulations regarding lithium-ion batteries are already strict, as these units can experience thermal runaway—a condition where internal faults cause rapid heating and potentially uncontrollable fires. While standard safety protocols limit the total battery capacity allowed on board, the targeted ban on a specific model signals a more aggressive regulatory stance following a proven safety breach. The DGCA and other aviation authorities globally continue to adapt policies to address the risks posed by the increasing number of portable electronic devices in transit.
Passengers are advised to comply with the new rules to avoid confiscation and ensure flight safety. The incident serves as a reminder of the risks associated with hardware quality in high-pressure environments like aircraft cabins, and airlines are expected to maintain rigorous screening standards to prevent similar incidents from recurring.