Carrying A Power Bank On A Flight? Why Airlines Are Warning Passengers About Lithium-Ion Batteries

Published 9 August 2026 · europe

News world Carrying A Power Bank On A Flight? Why Airlines Are Warning Passengers About Lithium-Ion Batteries Carrying A Power Bank On A Flight? Why

News world Carrying A Power Bank On A Flight? Why Airlines Are Warning Passengers About Lithium-Ion Batteries Carrying A Power Bank On A Flight? Why Airlines Are Warning Passengers About Lithium-Ion Batteries Published By, Last Updated: August 09, 2026, 10:26 IST A recent US study found that the aviation industry experiences around two lithium-ion battery-related incidents every week worldwide. Rapid Read A battery fire caused the destruction of an Air Busan plane last year. (Reuters) Airlines are issuing increasingly frequent warnings about the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, as more passengers travel with power banks, mobile phones, laptops and other battery-powered devices. The concern is not that lithium-ion technology becomes more dangerous at high altitudes. Rather, dealing with a battery fire becomes considerably more difficult inside an aircraft cabin. For the airline industry, lithium-ion batteries are “if not number one, within the top three risks for a good few years now", according to Jonathan Nicholson of the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the BBC reported. Two Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents A Week Worldwide A recent US study found that the aviation industry experiences around two lithium-ion battery-related incidents every week worldwide, Nicholson said. These incidents can involve passengers discovering that they have accidentally left devices in checked luggage. They can also include devices smoking or catching fire in airport baggage halls or during flights. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also identified battery safety as a priority. Its data “continues to show an increase in confirmed incidents", with 51 verified incidents recorded in the year to July 15.

Nicholson attributed the rise in such incidents to “more people, more flights, more devices". Why Lithium-Ion Battery Fires Are Difficult To Handle Pierre Kubiak, a principal engineer specialising in battery technology at the UK’s Physical Laboratory, said phones, power banks, tablets and laptops are among the most common battery-powered devices passengers carry on aircraft, the BBC reported. Smart watches, smart glasses and vapes are also becoming increasingly common. “The lithium by itself doesn’t burn; it’s more all the organic material and plastic," Kubiak said. “The point is that it gets very, very hot, very fast. I mean, more than 700 to 1000 degrees super fast." Nicholson said the challenge is not specific to flying, but to managing a battery incident inside an aircraft. He explained that “it’s a lot harder to deal with at 32,000 feet in an aircraft cabin". Why Airlines Warn Passengers Airlines have repeatedly warned passengers against placing lithium-ion-powered devices in checked luggage. Travellers are also advised not to attempt retrieving devices that slip into gaps around their seats. Nicholson said, “the most important thing is to bung it in water and cool it down". Some airlines also use specialised containment devices to deal with battery-related incidents. This is why keeping such devices in the cabin is important, rather than placing them in overhead compartments or the aircraft’s hold. Nicholson said passengers generally respond well to the warnings and restrictions. The bigger problem, he added, is that many travellers do not realise how many everyday devices use lithium-ion battery technology.