If you’re a frequent flyer who often forgets to charge your devices before a flight and has relied on your trusty power bank, your convenience may soon be a thing of the past. The FAA has long had specific regulations concerning putting electronics with lithium batteries in checked bags due to safety concerns. One case, of note, is when the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 gained notoriety for randomly going up in flames, resulting in the phone being banned from planes.

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Despite these events, passengers have long been allowed to carry — and even use — power banks in the cabin. This meant that forgetful travelers could easily charge their gadgets mid-flight. But now, with new airline restrictions on power bank usage, that privilege is being taken away by some airlines.

Several Asian airlines — including Air Busan, Eva Air, and China Airlines — recently updated their cabin baggage policies to effectively ban the use of power banks inside the cabin. There is a good chance that similar mandates could be implemented by Western airline companies, too.

The catalyst for this latest restriction was the recent incident with Air Busan Flight 321. On January 28, 2025, this scheduled flight from Busan’s Gimhae International Airport to Hong Kong, the Airbus A321 caught fire shortly before take-off. The blaze resulted in seven injuries and led to the aircraft being decommissioned due to extensive damage. While an investigation is still underway to deduce the cause of this crash, initial indications are that it was the direct result of a fire caused by the lithium-ion battery of a power bank stored in the plane’s overhead compartment. 

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How to mitigate the ban on the usage of power banks on flights

Given that most airlines in the West continue to allow the usage of power banks inside plane cabins, there is no immediate need to be worried about ending up with a discharged gadget during your upcoming transatlantic flight. However, given the cascading effect of such bans, a power bank usage ban inside airplane cabins of Western airline companies cannot entirely be ruled out.

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It’s important to note that none of the Asian airlines restricting power bank usage have banned passengers from carrying them in the cabin. The ban applies only to their use during the flight. Additionally, some airlines have introduced a rule prohibiting power banks from being stored in overhead compartments, requiring passengers to keep them on their person at all times.

While carrying power banks inside planes has been convenient for people who charge their gadgets regularly, if this newly implemented directive gains wider acceptance, passengers might have to seek other avenues for charging their devices while traveling. Fortunately, with newer aircraft increasingly equipped with built-in charging outlets, the reliance on power banks during flights may soon become obsolete. Additionally, most airport terminals offer plenty of charging stations, allowing passengers to power up their devices before boarding.

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Meanwhile, there are several things passengers could do in order to ensure safer flights. To begin with, they should always invest in power banks from reputable manufacturers to reduce the risk of malfunctions. It is also a good idea to check power banks for any signs of damage or wear before every trip.



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