Airlines are stepping up safety measures for portable batteries following a serious onboard fire in January 2025. Germany’s Lufthansa is leading Europe with new restrictions aimed at preventing similar incidents.
New Restrictions on In-Flight Use
Lufthansa has announced that passengers can no longer use power banks to charge devices during flights or connect them to seatback entertainment systems. While the batteries are still allowed in cabin luggage, storing them in overhead compartments is now prohibited. Passengers must keep power banks on their person or under the seat in hand luggage.
Limits on Size and Quantity
The airline has capped power banks at 100 watt hours, roughly 27,000 mAh. Travelers with larger batteries must notify the airline in advance and obtain approval, or the devices may be confiscated and destroyed. Each passenger may carry a maximum of two power banks per flight. These rules apply across all Lufthansa flights, as well as affiliated carriers including Swiss, Eurowings, Austrian Airlines, Discover, Brussels Airlines, Edelweiss, and Air Dolomiti.
Learning From a Fiery Incident
The changes follow a fire on a South Korean Air Busan Airbus A321, caused by a power bank in an overhead compartment. The blaze injured 27 people and spread rapidly, though all passengers were evacuated safely via emergency slides.
The incident has prompted aviation authorities worldwide to reassess rules around lithium batteries, and airlines are expected to adopt stricter measures to reduce the risk of similar fires in the future.
