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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.
On 11 October, a flight carrying more than 180 passengers had to make an emergency landing after a passenger’s power bank caught fire inside an overhead luggage compartment.
The IndiGo flight 6E 6115 from Delhi to Chennai was diverted to Hyderabad on Sunday and landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport after the power bank incident. No injuries were reported.
Several carriers have already banned chargers in overhead storage to let crew members respond faster if lithium batteries overheat or catch fire.
As airlines work to contain fire risks in the cabin, we ask: can you fly with a portable charger? And what are the rules?
Read more: Passengers panic in mid-air as power bank catches fire during IndiGo flight
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. But the power banks must not be connected to a power supply or a device.
Some airlines also insist they must be stowed “on a passenger’s person”, in the seat pocket or in under-seat carry-on baggage.
What do the UK authorities say?
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says portable chargers:
- “Must not be recharged on board the aircraft.”
- “Should not be used to charge other portable electronic devices on board the aircraft.”
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”.
The CAA warns that spare batteries are not permitted in checked baggage.
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 and the hold of an aircraft.
“Correct handling reduces risk. Carry lithium batteries 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 airlines in Australia and Switzerland, carriers in the US, China, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Singapore have also implemented new power bank regulations following safety concerns.
New lithium battery-powered power bank specifications from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in March limited devices to two per passenger, with passengers prohibited from recharging them during flights.
In October 2025, passengers on flights with Emirates were banned from using phone power banks due to concerns over fires, explosions and toxic gases.
Rules state that passengers are allowed to carry one power bank on board, as long as it has capacity rating information available and is only stored in the seat pocket or a bag under the seat in front, not in the overhead storage.
Virgin Australia, Qantas, and Jetstar also no longer allow power banks on board because of the safety risks of “damaged or defective lithium battery-powered devices”.
Charging power banks onboard, including using in-seat power ports, is also prohibited.
Last 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.
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.
Read more: Power banks and vapes are now the biggest safety threat to aircraft, says aviation authority
