New Delhi, Jan. 4 -- The aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has banned the use of power banks to charge phones or other devices during flights, including via in-seat power outlets, following a series of global incidents where lithium batteries overheated or caught fire.

While citing "safety concerns", Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu told NDTV that once a rule or regulation is decided, it is important to follow it in order to ensure safety, and that is why they are implementing it.

"Whenever the DGCA issues guidelines or rules, it keeps the safety of the people and the aircraft in mind. Whatever it does, it does thorough research and thorough consultation, and most of it comes from the Interna...