Power banks on planes: Civil Aviation Authority in UK warns passengers to follow rules after flight diversions
Power banks are causing growing problems in the skies, with aviation regulators warning that a simple packing mistake could have major consequences.
The rules relating to power banks on flights are not “somebody being pedantic” or “for the sake of it”, an aviation regulator has warned.
The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority have renewed warnings to aircraft passengers, urging them to “do the right thing” and take the rules seriously.
As it stands, power banks cannot be packed in checked luggage and need to be carried on board with passengers; however, incidents relating to portable chargers are on the up, Jonathan Nicholson from the CAA told BBC News.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.He said that there were “serious risks” of power banks overheating or catching fire mid-air if the rules are not followed.
“It is absolutely a rule that can make a difference,” Mr Nicholson said.
“I wouldn’t want to be the passenger who packed it in the wrong place and ended up with all the other passengers in the wrong city because the flight was diverted.”
The renewed warning comes after an EasyJet flight from Egypt to the UK was diverted to Rome last week as a “precaution” after a power bank was packed in checked luggage.
Passengers spent the night in Rome before boarding a rescheduled flight the following day to London.
Mr Nicholson provided a “basic set of international rules” relating to power banks:
- They must be packed in carry-on, not checked luggage.
- A passenger can carry a maximum of two power banks on board with them.
- Power banks are not to be used in transit.
He said that incidents relating to power banks were “certainly on the rise”, citing data released last year by US non-profit UL Standards and Engagement.
The organisation said there had been a 15 per cent rise in incidents between 2019 and 2024.
In 2024, an average of two flights per week were impacted by overheating lithium-ion batteries, which are a major fire risk.
Mr Nicholson said the large size of the battery used in power banks carries a higher risk than other electrical devices.
“These things, when they catch fire, they go — they really go — they are big, big issues and big fires,” he said.
A campaign is expected to be launched in the coming months by the CAAA to help passengers understand the importance of the rules relating to portable chargers.
