With travel documents becoming increasingly digitised, knowing your phone has the charge to carry you from check-in through to customs is key for travellers.
Although portable chargers may be vital to ensure a smooth journey, lithium-ion batteries commonly found inside power banks pose a fire risk to aircraft and confined cabin spaces if damaged.
From 28 May, Southwest Airlines passengers must use their portable chargers and batteries in plain sight. The airline brought in the rule citing safety concerns after multiple overheating incidents. This means charging devices stored in a bag or overhead bin will no longer be permitted.
The carrier believes this new policy will allow crew members to respond faster to lithium batteries overheating or catching fire.
As airlines move to contain fire risks in the cabin, we address the questions: can you fly with a portable charger? And what are the rules?
Read more: Southwest makes another policy change for passengers
Can I take my portable charger on a flight?
Yes. Portable chargers and power banks are usually allowed on flights, but there are restrictions on where they can be packed.
Most airlines allow portable chargers packed in your carry-on luggage but not in checked luggage or any bags that will go in the hold.
Generally, power banks with a capacity of 100Wh or less are permitted in the cabin without requiring airline approval.
Some carriers, including Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways, prohibit the use of power banks to charge personal devices during a flight. Passengers travelling on these airlines are also not allowed to charge portable power banks themselves via the onboard USB ports.
What do the UK authorities say?
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says “spare batteries for portable electronic devices containing lithium-ion batteries exceeding a Watt-hour rating of 100 Wh but not exceeding 160 Wh” are permitted in carry-on luggage for personal use.
It adds: “No more than two individually protected spare batteries per person may be carried.”
Each lithium-ion cell or battery must also be “individually protected so as to prevent short circuits”.
Any spare batteries are not permitted to fly in checked baggage, warns the CAA.
Glenn Bradley, head of flight operations at the CAA, said: “Lithium batteries power everything from vapes and mobile phones to cameras and power banks. If they become faulty or damaged, they can cause an intense fire that is difficult to extinguish – both in the cabin or hold of an aircraft.
“Correct handling reduces risk. Lithium batteries should be carried in your carry-on baggage. Power banks and spare batteries should also be in a cabin bag and should be completely turned off and not in standby mode.”
Foreign Office (FCDO) travel advice recommends checking “the restrictions on certain types of batteries with your airline if you’re not sure what you can carry”.
What are the portable charger rules in other countries?
Alongside Southwest Airlines, carriers in China, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and Singapore have also implemented new power bank regulations following safety concerns.
From 1 March, South Korea implemented stricter rules on carrying portable batteries on flights following a fire on an Air Busan plane on 28 January.
The revised rules state that a passenger can carry a maximum of five portable batteries, each with a capacity of up to 100 watt-hours. Batteries exceeding 160 watt hours in capacity are strictly prohibited.
Read more: Why Asian airlines are tightening rules on using power banks on flights
On 7 April, the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department banned passengers from using power banks on flights after a fire on a Hong Kong Airlines flight from Hangzhou in China on 20 March.
Passengers can still take power banks in carry-on luggage, but they must keep the devices under seats or in seat pockets and not in overhead compartments.
Taiwan’s EVA Airways similarly bans the use and charging of power banks and spare lithium batteries on flights. Passengers can carry them in their hand luggage if they are “properly stored to prevent compression or damage”.
In March, Singapore Airlines shared a post on X stating: “Effective 1st April 2025, Singapore Airlines customers will not be allowed to charge portable power banks via the onboard USB ports, or use power banks to charge their personal devices, throughout the duration of the flight.”
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
