Southwest limits power banks
Southwest will impose new limits on portable power banks aboard flights starting April 20, restricting passengers to one lithium battery charger each because of fire‑risk concerns. (gizmodo.com) Follow‑up summaries say the rule takes effect April 20 and is intended to reduce the chance of external chargers overheating or combusting mid‑flight. (alltoc.com)
Southwest Airlines will start limiting passengers to one portable charger or power bank per person on April 20, 2026. (southwest.com, nytimes.com) The airline’s updated policy says spare batteries and power banks must stay in a carry-on bag or on a passenger, not in checked luggage. If a power bank is used onboard, Southwest says it must be visible and cannot be used to charge a device in an overhead bin. (southwest.com) Until now, Southwest’s public guidance allowed up to 20 spare batteries, including portable chargers and power banks, as long as lithium-ion batteries stayed at 100 watt-hours or less and terminals were protected against short circuits. The new one-device cap is a much tighter airline-specific rule layered on top of those battery-safety limits. (southwest.com, iata.org) Power banks are treated as spare lithium batteries under airline dangerous-goods rules because their main job is to power another device. That matters because spare lithium batteries are allowed only in the cabin, where crew can reach them quickly if one overheats. (iata.org, faa.gov) The Federal Aviation Administration says lithium batteries can overheat and enter “thermal runaway,” a chain reaction that can produce intense heat, smoke, or fire. The agency’s PackSafe guidance specifically lists power banks and portable rechargers among the items that belong in carry-on bags, not checked bags. (faa.gov) International Air Transport Association guidance updated for 2026 says passengers carrying large numbers of spare batteries or power banks need airline approval. Southwest’s April 20 policy goes further by setting a flat one-per-passenger limit for its own flights. (iata.org, southwest.com) The backdrop is a steady rise in battery incidents on planes as travelers carry more rechargeable devices. The Federal Aviation Administration has logged dozens of verified lithium-battery smoke, fire, or extreme-heat events in recent years, and industry guidance now stresses keeping batteries where cabin crews can spot trouble fast. (faa.gov, iata.org) For Southwest passengers, the practical change is simple before April 20: pack one power bank, keep it with you or under the seat, and do not plan to stash it in an overhead bin. (southwest.com)
