Power bank airline rules tighten after battery fires

Published on Aug 8, 2025, 11:48 am CDT

5 min read

Airlines are sharpening restrictions on portable chargers as lithium battery incidents rise. The FAA still allows most small batteries in carry-ons, but carriers are layering on new no-use and visibility rules to reduce inflight fire risk. Singapore Airlines now bans using power banks in the cabin, Hong Kong regulators have ordered a similar prohibition, and Emirates says a stricter policy takes effect October 1, 2025. U.S. airlines remain aligned with FAA watt-hour limits, while some add operational constraints like keeping a power bank in plain sight when in use.

Key Points

Why it matters: Thermal runaway fires are rare, but they escalate fast in a sealed aircraft cabin. * Travel impact: More airlines now forbid using power banks inflight or stowing them overhead. * What's next: Emirates will prohibit inflight power bank use from October 1, 2025. Policies elsewhere could follow. * U.S. baseline stays: carry-on only, ≤ 100 Wh without approval, limits for 101-160 Wh. * Some U.S. carriers add visibility rules so crews can spot smoke quickly.

Snapshot

Portable chargers are treated as spare lithium batteries, which regulators keep out of checked bags so crews can intervene quickly. FAA rules allow most consumer power banks, typically under 100 Wh, in carry-on bags; with airline approval, travelers may carry limited 101-160 Wh spares. After several headline incidents, authorities and airlines have tightened onboard behavior: Hong Kong barred use and overhead stowage of power banks on local carriers from April 7, 2025; South Korea imposed stricter handling and overhead-bin limits; and Singapore Airlines prohibits using or recharging power banks during flights. Data from UL Standards and Engagement show airlines responded to roughly two thermal-runaway events per week in 2024.

Background

The hazard is thermal runaway, a chain reaction that can drive a lithium-ion cell to vent, flame, or reignite. The IATA classifies power banks as batteries, not consumer devices, and therefore as "spares" that must ride in the cabin with terminals protected. FAA and TSA guidance set the common baseline most travelers know: carry-on only for spares, ≤ 100 Wh without approval, and up to two 101-160 Wh spares only with airline sign-off. Airlines may be stricter than the baseline. For reference, see the FAA's PackSafe battery page for allowances and exceptions, including how to calculate Watt-hours if your pack lists only mAh. FAA PackSafe, lithium batteries.

Latest Developments

U.S. carriers keep FAA limits, visibility rules emerge

American, Delta, United, Southwest, and others maintain the FAA framework on watt-hours and carry-on-only storage for spares. Some add operational rules to help crews spot problems fast. Southwest now requires that a power bank in use may not be inside a bag or the overhead bin, and must remain plainly visible, such as on the tray table or in the seat pocket. That mirrors a broader push to keep lithium-powered items where smoke or heat would be noticed immediately. Southwest lithium-battery guidance.

Emirates to prohibit inflight power bank use from October 1, 2025

Emirates will bar passengers from using power banks to charge devices or recharging the power banks themselves onboard. Reporting indicates travelers may still carry one unit under 100 Wh, kept within reach at the seat rather than in the overhead bin. The shift follows a run of battery incidents that has already prompted Asian carriers and regulators to tighten rules. Expect additional Gulf and European airlines to study similar measures as peak-season travel continues. Business Insider report.

Hong Kong and South Korea impose regional curbs

Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department ordered local airlines to ban the use and overhead-bin stowage of power banks on flights as of April 7, 2025. South Korea rolled out a national tightening that includes keeping e-cigs and power banks out of overheads, following an Air Busan A321 fire in January that investigators now link to a spare battery in a bag above the cabin seats. Together, these measures are pushing a global norm toward no-use policies and seat-area storage. Hong Kong Government notice.

Analysis

For travelers, the through-line is simple: storage and supervision. Regulators want spares in the cabin, where the crew can see smoke early and apply water or halon plus cooling. Airlines are eliminating overhead-bin storage because a smoldering pack in a closed bin can spread before anyone notices. No-use policies reduce heat buildup from high-draw charging and remove cables that complicate a quick response. Recent fire data back the caution. UL Standards and Engagement tracked an average of two thermal-runaway incidents per week in 2024, with nearly one in five triggering a diversion, emergency return, or unplanned deplaning. Cheaper power banks can also lack robust protection circuits, and counterfeits raise the odds of defects. Expect more carriers to move from soft advisories to hard prohibitions on use, especially on overnight flights where cabin monitoring is harder. When in doubt, follow IATA's "spare battery" rules, keep packs cool and visible, and never wedge them into cushions or seat mechanisms.

Final Thoughts

Power banks remain useful, but the rules are shifting toward cabin visibility and zero inflight use on more airlines. Check your carrier's policy before you fly, store the pack at your seat, protect the terminals, and rely on in-seat power when available. As regulators respond to incident data and investigations, travelers should expect incremental changes rather than a single global standard. Being prepared, and packing accordingly, is the best way to avoid surprises as power bank airline rules evolve.