Airlines tightening charger rules
Airlines are starting to limit portable chargers and similar devices on flights to reduce fire risks, so pack fewer battery banks or check policies before you fly to avoid surprises at the gate. (wfsb.com)
The thing getting people stopped at the gate in 2026 may not be a bag size. It may be a pocket-sized charger, because airlines are starting to treat power banks like a fire risk instead of a convenience item. (abcnews.com) Southwest Airlines said on April 7 that, starting April 20, each passenger can bring only one portable charger on its flights. That charger also cannot go in an overhead bin or in checked luggage. (abcnews.com) Southwest had already told passengers to keep chargers visible while they are being used. Flight attendants can spot smoke or swelling faster if a battery is in your hand or seat pocket instead of zipped inside a backpack. (abcnews.com) This is not just one airline improvising. The International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations body that sets global aviation standards, approved new rules on March 27 limiting passengers to two power banks and banning recharging them during flights. (icao.int) The reason is the battery itself. Lithium-ion cells store a lot of energy in a small brick, and if one is crushed, damaged, or short-circuits, it can overheat in a chain reaction that aviation crews call thermal runaway. (faa.gov) Airlines worry less about a battery fire in the cabin than in the cargo hold, because people can see it and fight it in the cabin. The Federal Aviation Administration says spare lithium batteries and power banks are banned from checked bags and must stay accessible with the passenger. (faa.gov) The incident count has been climbing with the number of gadgets people carry. The Federal Aviation Administration told The Associated Press that 97 lithium battery incidents were reported in 2025, and UL Standards & Engagement said incidents involving portable chargers rose 42% in 2025. (abcnews.com) One fire in particular changed the conversation. In January 2025, an Air Busan plane in South Korea caught fire before takeoff, forcing all 176 people on board to evacuate before flames burned through the roof. (abcnews.com) The old rule many travelers knew was about size, not count. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration still says most power banks under 100 watt-hours are allowed in the cabin, while anything over 160 watt-hours is banned from passenger aircraft. (faa.gov) Now the rulebook is getting more specific about how many you can bring and where you can put them. The practical version is simple: check your airline before you leave, keep your charger in the cabin, and do not assume that three backup batteries in a carry-on will still slide by unnoticed. (icao.int)
