Although restrictions on packing lithium-ion batteries, and the power banks that contain them, in checked luggage date back to 2016, airlines will often have different rules on how passengers should store them in carry-ons, given the higher risk of them catching fire.

After several in-cabin incidents, Asian airlines AirAsia and Korean Air updated their policies to require that passengers keep any onboard power banks near them and visible. Southwest Airlines became the first airline in the U.S. to do the same in May 2025.

“When using a portable charger/power bank onboard, [the item] must be visible (not stored in bags) [and] must not be used to charge devices in overhead bins,” the Southwest policy on transporting any device using lithium batteries now states on its website.

“Each passenger may carry a maximum of two power banks in their carry-on”: Lufthansa Group

The policies around power banks stem from the fact that these types of batteries store significant energy in a small box and are therefore particularly prone to catching fire due to friction or other contact that can cause a short circuit.

The latest major airline group to regulate portable chargers is Lufthansa Group. As the largest airline group on the European continent, the company is behind not just the namesake Lufthansa, but also a half-dozen regional airlines, including Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Eurowings, Air Dolomiti, and Edelweiss.

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In a Jan. 15 press release, Lufthansa Group announced that any power banks passengers bring aboard “may neither be used nor charged on board.”

“Each passenger may carry a maximum of two power banks in their carry-on baggage,” the press release states. “The devices may only be stored in the seat pocket, on the passenger’s person or in their carry-on luggage under the seat.”

Some airlines focus their policies on storing power banks in overhead bins, while others ban their use.

Image source: Shutterstock

Rules on lithium batteries differ widely from airline to airline: here’s why

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) enacted the ban on packing chargers and other devices with lithium-ion batteries in checked luggage in 2016. Lufthansa’s new direction differs from other airlines that have changed policies for in-flight transportation, however, since it focuses on the use of chargers, not just where they are stored.

The policy goes on to state that the rule does not apply to a select list of approved common medical equipment, although specific devices with a power capacity greater than 100 Wh must be preapproved by the airline before being brought aboard.

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Other airlines that implemented similar restrictions prior to Lufthansa include Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qantas Airways, and Virgin Australia. The latter airline quickly updated its policy after a December 2025 incident in which passengers on a flight from Sydney to Hobart heard a “popping and hissing sound” that preceded the sight of flames from the in-flight cabin.

While flight attendants managed to put it out without any injuries, such incidents have become increasingly common as more passengers travel with power banks.

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