In an apparent effort to beef up security within and outside the Airport, the Cochin International Airport has instructed passengers not to bring below-par quality power-banks but only branded power-banks. The move has been necessitated following reports that at times, these power-banks might even serve as ‘high-volatile’ explosives.

Routine security check during the past couple of days revealed that a few passengers have been ‘secretly’ taking power-banks, which are used merely to charge the mobile phones. The secrecy in this regard alerted the officials who took up the issue with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Govt. of India.

As a result, the DGCA advised Cochin Airport officials not to allow passengers boarding/alighting at the Airport to bring below-par quality power-banks and use only branded power-banks.

For security reasons, sending power-banks via Cargo has also been banned at the Airport. An unnamed official said that the Airport was forced to ban ‘below-par quality’ power-banks as it is believed that the locally made power-banks can be modified and turned into explosives at a minimal cost.