A notice, set up in front of the Jeju Air check-in counter at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, Thursday, urges passengers not to let their batteries out of sight while aboard aircraft. Yonhap

Airlines are introducing tighter safety rules on batteries in the wake of the latest in-flight fire from an Air Busan passenger jet, which has raised growing safety concerns nationwide.

Starting Thursday, Jeju Air passengers are required to consent to a rule urging them not to place their lithium-ion batteries in overhead bins before checking in either by mobile devices or kiosks.

Under the new safety rule, passengers are advised not to let their lithium-ion batteries out of sight while on board. Jeju Air will also make announcements on the updated rule in four languages — Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese — at boarding gates.

The measure followed escalating safety woes after an aircraft of Air Busan burst into flames before takeoff at Gimhae International Airport in the nation's southeastern port city of Busan last month.

The exact cause behind the accident has not been confirmed, but a battery in a passenger's carry-on luggage is assumed to have triggered the fire. Despite no casualties being reported from the accident, it has increased public concerns over aircraft safety nationwide.

Korean Air has decided to strengthen safety measures, inducing passengers not to put their batteries in overhead bins. The flag carrier will also make two announcements before the flight asking passengers to keep all battery-operated devices on their person or in seat pockets.

“Airlines are introducing such measures, as they can promptly take action in case of battery fires,” an official from the industry said. “But we cannot force them to do so due to a lack of legal basis.”

Asiana Airlines is following suit by equipping all its aircraft with firefighting devices. Air Seoul and T'way Air have also decided to strengthen their safety announcements urging passengers to carry their batteries with them.

Air Busan plans to check whether passengers have batteries in their carry-on luggage at the boarding gate. The measure will start on Friday.

However, it remains to be seen whether the measures will be effective, as the safety rules cannot be enforced legally. According to the International Air Transport Association, lithium-ion batteries are classified as dangerous goods, but there are no restrictions on their transport by air.

In response, Korea's land authority is in talks with aviation industry players to regulate in-flight battery use. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is expected to announce detailed measures by April.