DGCA bans Mobikins MK-PB-04 power bank on all flights after IndiGo fire
Representative image: 12019 / Pixabay
The DGCA has barred the Mobikins MK-PB-04 power bank from all flights to, from and within India after one caught fire on an IndiGo Delhi-Chennai flight on 11 October 2026.
What Happened
India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has banned one specific power bank model, the Mobikins MK-PB-04, from all passenger and cargo flights to, from and within India. The order, reported on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, covers cabin baggage, checked-in baggage and air cargo, and asks airlines to stop the model from being carried on board. It follows a fire on IndiGo flight 6E 6115 from Delhi to Chennai on Sunday, 11 October, when a passenger's power bank caught fire in an overhead bin. The crew put out the fire and the aircraft was diverted to Hyderabad, where it landed safely. The ban applies to this one model only and is not a general ban on power banks.
Key Facts
- Banned item: the Mobikins MK-PB-04 power bank.
- Scope: all flights to, from and within India, including cargo flights.
- Covers: cabin baggage, checked-in baggage and air cargo.
- Trigger: a power bank fire on IndiGo flight 6E 6115, Delhi to Chennai, on 11 October 2026.
- Outcome of the incident: the crew put out the fire, the aircraft was diverted to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, and all passengers and crew were reported safe.
- The aircraft was grounded for checks after landing.
- Existing rules: under a DGCA advisory issued in November 2025, passengers may not charge devices from power banks during a flight, and power banks should be kept in hand baggage, not in overhead bins.
Why It Matters
Power banks pack a lot of stored energy into a small battery, which can overheat and catch fire if it is damaged, badly made or faulty. On the ground, such a fire is dangerous; in a pressurised cabin at cruising height, with no way to leave the aircraft, it is far more serious. That is why airlines and regulators treat these batteries with care, and why Indian guidance already asks for spare batteries and power banks to travel in the cabin, where crew can see and deal with a fire, rather than in the hold.
What makes this order unusual is that it names a single product. Regulators normally set general limits on battery size and on where batteries may be carried. By banning one model outright after one incident, the DGCA is signalling that it suspects a problem with that product rather than with power banks as a class. It also puts a practical job on airlines and airport security staff, who now have to spot a specific model among the many power banks passengers carry every day.
The incident also shows why the earlier advisory exists. The fire began in an overhead compartment, the very place the November 2025 guidance tells passengers not to keep their power banks. Had the device been in a passenger's hand or seat pocket, the smoke and heat would probably have been noticed sooner. The crew's quick response kept the event to a diversion without injuries, but it is a reminder to passengers that how they store a power bank matters as much as which one they carry.
| Rule | What it means for passengers |
|---|---|
| Mobikins MK-PB-04 ban | Do not carry this model in any bag or as cargo |
| In-flight charging | Do not charge devices from a power bank during a flight |
| Storage | Keep power banks in hand baggage, not in overhead bins |
| Other models | Still allowed, subject to existing rules |
Impact
Short-term: Passengers who own a Mobikins MK-PB-04 must leave it at home. Those who arrive at the airport with one can expect it to be refused at security or at boarding. Airlines will need to brief screening staff on how to identify the model.
Long-term: The order could lead to closer checks on the quality of low-cost power banks sold in India, and to more model-specific bans if other products are linked to fires. It also strengthens the case for stricter enforcement of the rule against storing power banks in overhead bins.
Who is affected: Air passengers in India and those flying to and from the country, IndiGo and other airlines, airport security and screening staff, cargo operators, and the maker and sellers of the banned power bank.
Key Takeaway
The Mobikins MK-PB-04 power bank is now banned on every flight to, from and within India after one caught fire on an IndiGo flight, while other power banks remain allowed under the existing rules.
Questions and Answers
Which power bank has the DGCA banned on flights?
The DGCA has banned the Mobikins MK-PB-04 power bank on all flights to, from and within India. It may not be carried in cabin baggage, checked-in baggage or as air cargo.
Why did the DGCA ban the Mobikins MK-PB-04 power bank?
The order followed a fire on IndiGo flight 6E 6115 from Delhi to Chennai on 11 October 2026, when a power bank caught fire in an overhead bin. The crew put the fire out and the flight was diverted to Hyderabad.
Can I still carry other power banks on a flight in India?
Yes. The ban covers only the Mobikins MK-PB-04. Other power banks are allowed in hand baggage under existing rules, but they must not be used to charge devices during the flight or stored in overhead bins.
Was anyone hurt in the IndiGo power bank fire?
No. The aircraft landed safely in Hyderabad and all passengers and crew were reported safe. The aircraft was grounded for checks.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
UP panchayat election must be held within three months, Allahabad HC rules
Maharashtra makes daily online attendance mandatory for teachers from 15 October
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
