Major airlines including easyJet, Ryanair and TUI have issued guidance for passengers on power bank and lithium battery rules for hand luggage and checked baggage
Easyjet and other airlines have rules on power bank-type devices on their aircraft(Image: Getty)
Airlines have issued warnings to passengers that common electrical items must not be placed in hold baggage, with strict regulations governing their transport in cabin luggage.
Several carriers have started implementing outright bans on power banks (devices used to charge phones and tablets) owing to safety concerns. Typically, power banks are only allowed in carry-on baggage, not checked luggage, due to fears they could explode and ignite mid-flight.
Nevertheless, some of the principal budget airlines serving the UK continue to allow power banks and batteries on board—though with certain restrictions.
Power banks have gained popularity as they provide essential, portable and rapid-charging capability for smartphones and other devices while travelling, alleviating battery concerns.
They are cost-effective, compact and adaptable, allowing users to stay connected without requiring a wall socket, making them ideal for journeys. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here
Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and most recently Emirates have now prohibited the batteries, however.
Emirates stipulates, as do many airlines, that the devices must not be used during flight. Under specific circumstances, they will be allowed on aircraft provided they are switched off and stowed beneath your seat (not in the overhead locker) with these regulations taking effect in October.
According to safety specialists at the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), lithium batteries present a hazard on aircraft, chiefly due to their susceptibility to “thermal runaway.”
This is a process whereby a battery experiences a swift, unmanageable temperature increase, resulting in fire, explosion and the emission of harmful gases.
Airlines including Ryanair, easyJet and TUI have all implemented specific rules regarding power banks, batteries and electronic equipment.
Ryanair
Passengers are permitted to bring up to 15 personal electronic devices (including but not limited to: smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras, handheld game consoles, headphones, power banks).
Spare lithium batteries (including power banks) must be individually safeguarded against short circuits by keeping them in their original retail packaging or by insulating terminals through taping over exposed connections, or by placing each battery in a separate plastic bag or protective case, and they must be transported in hand luggage only.
Passengers may additionally bring up to 20 spare lithium batteries, on condition that each does not exceed 100Wh.
Spare lithium batteries, including power banks brought into the cabin, must not be used to charge or power other portable electronic devices during taxi, take-off or landing, and should not exceed 100Wh.
They must not be placed in cabin baggage stored in the overhead locker. Instead, keep them in cabin baggage beneath the seat in front of you, or on your person. Devices or batteries exceeding 100Wh are prohibited in both the cabin and hold, with the exception of electric wheelchair batteries.
Spare batteries, including power banks, are forbidden in checked baggage.
For further information, click here.
easyJet
EasyJet has strict requirements that all lithium-ion batteries, spare batteries and power banks must be carried in cabin hand luggage only, as they are banned from hold luggage due to fire hazards.
Power banks under 100Wh (approximately 27,000mAh) are permitted without approval; items between 100-160Wh require airline authorisation. Batteries contained within portable electronic devices should be transported as carry-on baggage.
If these items are packed in checked baggage, measures must be taken to prevent accidental activation and protect the devices from damage; all devices must be fully switched off (not in sleep or hibernation mode).
EasyJet enforces a maximum of 15 portable electronic devices per passenger. Portable electronic devices containing non-spillable batteries must not exceed 12V or 100Wh, and passengers may carry a maximum of 2 spare batteries.
For Smart Baggage brought into the cabin, passengers must be capable of easily disconnecting and removing the lithium battery or power bank, though it may remain inside the bag.
Smart baggage cannot be accepted for travel if the lithium battery or power bank cannot be readily disconnected and removed by the passenger. Should smart luggage be checked in for placement in the hold, the lithium battery or power bank must be disconnected from the smart luggage at Bag Drop and carried into the cabin.
Any exposed terminals require protection from short circuit. The lithium battery or power bank needs disconnecting, so if removal from your luggage proves impossible, the bag cannot be accepted on board.
For further information click here.
TUI
TUI’s rules prohibit passengers from carrying loose lithium batteries, power banks, or spare batteries in checked-in baggage. Such items must be kept in hand luggage exclusively.
Power banks must typically not exceed 100Wh, and terminals must be protected from short circuits. Devices should not be recharged while on board.
Dry AA(A) batteries (type Alkaline, NiMh, NiC) for small personal items such as a pocket torch or radio are allowed, provided they remain inside the device or are enclosed in robust packaging.
When devices are placed in hold baggage, measures must be implemented to protect the device from harm and prevent unintended activation; the device must also be fully powered down (not in sleep or hibernation mode).
Individual batteries and power banks should be safeguarded against short circuits by keeping them in their original packaging, with terminals covered in tape or positioned in a plastic bag within hand luggage.
Medical devices always require airline approval. For additional details, see section Baggage – Medical baggage.
TUI fly mandates that all power banks must be transported in hand luggage, never in checked baggage. They must be packaged to avoid short circuits (original packaging or covered terminals). Typically, capacity is restricted to 100 Watt-hours (Wh) per battery, with power banks not allowed to be used for charging devices or recharged while onboard.
