Southwest charger limit

Southwest Airlines will let each passenger bring only one lithium battery portable charger starting April 20. (nytimes.com) Southwest’s help center says portable chargers, also called power banks, are already banned from checked luggage, and the airline’s new limit cuts the number in the cabin to one per person. Reports on the policy say the charger also cannot be stored in an overhead bin and cannot be recharged from an in-seat outlet during the flight. (southwest.com) (nbcnewyork.com) Federal Aviation Administration rules already require spare lithium batteries and power banks to stay in carry-on bags, not checked bags. The agency says batteries under 100 watt-hours are generally allowed, batteries from 101 to 160 watt-hours need airline approval, and anything above 160 watt-hours is forbidden on passenger aircraft. (faa.gov 1) (faa.gov 2) Lithium batteries can ignite if they are damaged or if their terminals short-circuit, and the Federal Aviation Administration says devices with those batteries should be kept in accessible carry-on baggage. That is why airlines focus on where a battery is packed as much as how many a traveler brings. (faa.gov 1) (faa.gov 2) For Southwest passengers, the practical change starts before boarding: travelers who usually carry two or three backup batteries for phones, tablets, or laptops will have to choose one. The airline’s carry-on policy still allows one carry-on bag and one personal item, but the charger rule now adds a separate battery limit inside that space. (southwest.com) (nytimes.com) The rule lands as airlines and regulators keep tightening how lithium batteries are handled in flight. The Federal Aviation Administration’s PackSafe guidance says power banks must remain with passengers in the cabin, and Southwest is now going further than that federal baseline by limiting the count to one. (faa.gov) (nytimes.com) Travelers flying Southwest on or after April 20 will need to repack the same way they already do for liquids or lighters: check the bag rules before leaving home, and keep that one charger where the crew can reach it if something goes wrong. (southwest.com) (faa.gov)