Baggage ban from Turkish Airlines: Will not be allowed on board

Turkish Airlines (THY) has announced that, in order to increase flight safety, smart luggage with non-removable lithium batteries will not be permitted in the cabin or in the aircraft hold.

This decision was made following an incident that occurred recently on an airline's flight. A plane operating the Istanbul-Seoul route was forced to return to Istanbul for safety reasons after a passenger's portable charger fell between the seats.

To prevent such incidents from recurring, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM) recommended banning the use of portable chargers with lithium batteries during flights. Following this recommendation from the SHGM, Turkish Airlines introduced new regulations regarding smart luggage.

According to the statement from Turkish Airlines, smart luggage includes features such as lithium batteries, GPS tracking devices, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, self-weighing capabilities, and digital locks.

However, such luggage with non-removable lithium batteries will not be allowed to be carried as cabin or checked baggage. If smart luggage is to be carried as cabin baggage, the lithium battery must be removed from the luggage and must not be reattached until reaching the destination.

Furthermore, it is recommended that lithium batteries carried in cabin baggage be kept in their original packaging or have their terminals insulated to protect against short circuits. For smart luggage to be carried as checked baggage, it is mandatory to remove the lithium battery from the luggage and carry it separately in the cabin.