Southwest charger limit

Southwest Airlines will start limiting passengers to one lithium battery portable charger per person on April 20, tightening a rule that until now allowed up to 20 spare batteries and power banks in carry-on bags. (nytimes.com) (southwest.com) Southwest’s current help page says portable chargers and other spare lithium batteries must stay in a carry-on bag or on the passenger, cannot go in checked luggage, and must be visible when used onboard. The same page says lithium-ion batteries cannot exceed 100 watt-hours and their terminals must be protected from short circuits. (southwest.com) (faa.gov) The Federal Aviation Administration says power banks and other spare lithium batteries belong in the cabin because crews can respond if one overheats, swells, smokes, or catches fire. The agency says those batteries can enter “thermal runaway,” a fast-moving overheating chain reaction triggered by damage, overcharging, water exposure, or manufacturing defects. (faa.gov) Federal guidance does not set a general one-battery cap for most consumer-size lithium-ion batteries under 100 watt-hours. The Federal Aviation Administration says there is “none” as a quantity limit for most of those batteries, as long as they are for personal use and packed safely. (faa.gov) Airlines have been tightening cabin battery rules as incidents keep piling up. UL Standards & Engagement said passenger flights in 2024 averaged two thermal-runaway incidents a week, and 18 percent of onboard incidents led to a diverted landing, return to gate, evacuation, or unplanned deplaning. (ulse.org) The Federal Aviation Administration also warned airlines in a 2025 safety alert about storing lithium batteries in overhead compartments, where they may not be seen quickly and can be harder to reach. The alert told carriers to instruct passengers to keep lithium batteries where a possible fire is visible and accessible. (safetyandhealthmagazine.com) The new charger rule lands during a broader remake of Southwest’s product. The airline says assigned seating and new fare bundles became bookable for flights departing January 27, 2026, replacing the open-seating system that had defined Southwest for decades. (southwest.com 1) (southwest.com 2) Southwest’s new cabin plan also adds Extra Legroom seats at the front and exit rows, with up to five additional inches of pitch on some aircraft, plus earlier boarding and added perks on higher fares. That means the airline is changing both how people sit and what they can bring, at the same time. (southwest.com 1) (southwest.com 2) For travelers, the practical change is simple: after April 20, a second backup battery that fit Southwest’s old rules may no longer fit its new ones. The battery still has to stay out of checked bags, and if it gets hot or starts smoking, the Federal Aviation Administration says passengers should tell the crew immediately. (nytimes.com) (faa.gov)