By Imran Aslam Khan
Portable power banks, laptops, smartphones, and vapes have become essential travel companions. However, the aviation industry faces a growing safety challenge: the rapid increase of lithium-battery mishaps on flights.
According to reports from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the average traveler now carries four lithium-powered devices. Data reviewed by UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) reveals that inflight thermal prunaway incidents increased significantly, averaging more than 2 passenger-related battery incidents per week.
When a lithium-ion battery fails, it undergoes thermal runaway—a chemical chain reaction where the battery overheats rapidly, releasing toxic gases and causing intense, fast-spreading fires that are exceptionally difficult to suppress. Some new standards and regulations are needed for production of such batteries which may have lesser chances of exploding or releasing heat once damaged.
Understanding the regulations and learning from recent onboard emergencies is critical to keeping our skies safe.
Onboard Lithium Battery Incidents (2025–2026).
Recent aviation history highlights how quickly consumer electronics can endanger a flight:
American Airlines Flight 2398 (August 21, 2026):
En route from Atlanta to Dallas-Fort Worth, a passenger’s laptop battery caught fire midair. The cabin filled with smoke, and multiple passengers suffered minor burns before the cabin crew managed to contain the device inside a specialized thermal containment bag.
China Eastern Airlines Flight (July 24, 2026): Immediately after landing at Guiyang Longdongbao Airport, a power bank stored inside an overhead luggage compartment spontaneously burst into flames. The cabin quickly filled with thick smoke, prompting a rapid suppression effort by the crew and nearby passengers.
EasyJet Flight EZY2618 (May 2026):
A flight from Hurghada, Egypt, to London Luton was forced to make an emergency diversion to Rome. A passenger alerted the crew that a power bank had accidentally been left charging inside a checked suitcase in the cargo hold, violating safety protocols, prompting the captain to land immediately as a precaution.
Swiss International Air Lines Flight (July 2026):
A flight from Zurich to New York JFK had to divert and land in Maine after a headphone charging case became trapped and crushed inside a seat mechanism, causing it to overheat and emit heavy smoke.
Air China Flight CA139 (October 2025):
Shortly after departing Hangzhou for Seoul, South Korea, a passenger’s lithium battery stored in an overhead bin caught fire. The crew used extinguishers and liquids to control the fire while the aircraft initiated an emergency diversion to Shanghai.
Air Busan Airbus A321 Incident (January 2025):
A devastating ground fire completely destroyed an Air Busan aircraft. Investigators traced the source back to a malfunctioning power bank, resulting in major changes to airline policies regarding overhead storage and on carrying lithium-ion batteries the world over.
Critical Precautions for Flying with Batteries:
To safeguard against thermal runaway, international regulator ICAO’s New Limits Put the Brakes on In-Flight Battery Fires, it mandate strict rules for packing and managing electronic items:
1. Carry-On Bags Only (Strictly Prohibited in Checked Luggage) All spare lithium-ion batteries, external power banks, and e-cigarettes must travel in your carry-on luggage. If a battery catches fire in the cabin, the crew can respond immediately with specialized thermal bags. If it happens inside the cargo hold, the fire may spread undetected until it is too late.
2. The Gate-Check Trap: If gate agents inform you that the overhead bins are full and your carry-on bag must be checked into the cargo hold, you must open your bag and remove all power banks and devices to keep them with you in the cabin.
3. Capacity Limitations & ApprovalsUnder 100 Watt-hours (Wh): You can freely bring consumer power banks and devices under 100 Wh (typically under 27,000 mAh). Under ICAO guidelines updated in 2026, travelers are generally capped at a maximum of two power banks in the cabin.
4. 100 Wh to 160 Wh: Larger batteries—such as those used in professional video cameras, heavy drones, or medical equipment—require prior airline approval at the check-in desk and are strictly limited to two per person. Over 160 Wh: Completely banned from passenger aircraft. Note: The Watt-hour rating must be clearly legible on the device’s manufacturer label. If the text is rubbed off or unreadable, security may confiscate it.
5. New Global Restrictions on In-Flight Use: Following the influx of fires in late 2025 and 2026, prominent international carriers—including PIA, Emirates, Etihad, FlyDubai, Air Arabia, China Airlines, and EVA Air—have completely banned the use or charging of power banks during flights. You may carry them onboard, but they must remain switched off. Furthermore, many airlines now require power banks to be stowed visible in your seat pocket or under the seat, rather than hidden in overhead compartments where early signs of smoke can go unnoticed.
6. Safe Packing and Short-Circuit Protection: Loose batteries can short-circuit if their metal terminals touch keys, coins, or other batteries. Keep spare batteries in their original retail packaging, slide them into dedicated protective plastic pouches, or place electrical tape over the exposed terminal contacts.
7. Recognize the Warning Signs: Never board a flight with a compromised battery. Inspect your hardware before traveling and discard any device exhibiting the following symptoms: Swelling, bloating, or a warped plastic casing Excessive heat output while charging or during standard use Unexplained rapid depletion of battery capacity, Hissing, cracking, popping sounds, or strange chemical odors.
8. Safe Seat Etiquette: If your smartphone or tablet slips between the cracks of an electric reclining seat, do not attempt to adjust the seat or force the cushions apart yourself. Mechanically moving the seat can crush the device’s battery, immediately triggering a thermal runaway fire (as seen in the Swiss International Air Lines incident). Always alert a flight attendant to retrieve the device safely.
Precautions Adopted by CAA Pakistan and Pakistani Airlines:
In alignment with international safety frameworks, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA Pakistan) and major domestic carriers—including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Air Sial, South Air and Fly Jinnah—have integrated strict lithium-battery protocols.
Following the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 2026 global mandate, Pakistan’s aviation sector has intensified passenger screenings and inflight restrictions to eliminate the risk of thermal runaway.
A. Zero Tolerance for Checked Baggage: Mandatory Luggage Separation: CAA Pakistan enforces a strict ban on all stand alone lithium-ion batteries and power banks inside checked luggage.
B. Airport Checkpoint Declarations:
At major Pakistani airports (such as Jinnah International in Karachi and Islamabad International), ASF (Airport Security Force) and PIA airline staff explicitly prompt travelers during check-in and initial baggage scanning to remove any batteries from their large suitcases.
C. The Sleep-Mode Ban for Laptops:
If a laptop or tablet must be checked in, CAA Pakistan regulations dictate it must be completely powered down (not left in sleep or hibernation mode) and packed to prevent accidental activation.
D. Capacity Verifications and Limits:
Legible Label Requirements:
PIA guidelines state that any power bank brought into the cabin must feature a clear, unaltered manufacturer label indicating its capacity. If the text stating the Watt-hour (Wh) or milliampere-hour (mAh) capacity is rubbed off, the device is confiscated at the security gate.
E. The Two-Device Cap: In compliance with regional standards, domestic carriers like Fly Jinnah cap the allowance at a maximum of two power banks per passenger in the cabin, provided they do not exceed 100 Wh. Anything between 100 Wh and 160 Wh requires explicit airline approval prior to boarding.
F. Inflight Restrictions: No Use & No Overhead Storage.
Total Ban on Charging: Following the latest regional aviation safety updates, passengers on Pakistani flights are strictly prohibited from using power banks to charge devices mid-flight, and recharging the power bank itself via aircraft USB ports is banned.
G. The Visibility Rule: Airlines operating in Pakistan now strictly discourage placing loose power banks or vapes inside overhead lockers. Passengers are instructed to keep these items visible—either inside their hand luggage stowed safely under the seat in front of them or in the seat pocket—making early signs of thermal runaway (like heat or smoke) immediately noticeable to the cabin crew.
These precautions help in early detection of smoke and fire or fire risk and cannot be taken as total prevention of such incidents.
As suggested some new regulations for the production of relativlely safe lithium-ion batteries for personal carry-on electronic gadgets with some kind of “Safe for Flights” stamp could be helpful in the longer term.
Also passengers can be educated and encouraged on carrying less items which have lithium – ion batteries and or keeping them on a charge of about 80% or less may prevent some incidents as chances of batteries getting heated up and releasing toxic gases or fire can significantly reduce.
About Imran Aslam Khan:
The writer is an experienced Aviation Professional with a strong background in drafting amendments to Pakistan’s Aviation Rules and shaping national Aviation Policy. He is the founder of the Aircraft Owners and Operators Association (AOOA) Pakistan
