As people around the globe prepare to fly for summer vacation, airlines are tightening their rules on power banks amid growing concerns over lithium-battery fires. These devices should never be packed in checked luggage, aviation authorities say, Euronews reported.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), passengers should carry no more than two power banks and should not charge them while onboard. Carriers such as Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qantas no longer allow passengers to use or charge power banks during flights.
The changes reflect a wider problem facing the aviation industry, as damaged or faulty lithium batteries in power banks, laptops, phones and e-cigarettes can overheat in the hold and cause fires with very serious consequences. A fire in the cabin, by contrast, would be noticed and handled quickly by the crew — which is precisely why these devices are required to travel with passengers rather than in the hold.
For passengers, the advice is simple. Keep power banks, spare lithium batteries and e-cigarettes in your carry-on bag, not your checked luggage. Follow your airline’s rules on using or charging power banks during the flight, and if you must pack a laptop in checked baggage, make sure it is completely switched off — though carrying it on is strongly preferred.
