The Numbers Are Not Small

The FAA has tracked 717 lithium-battery incidents on planes since 2006. Nearly four in ten — 281 incidents — involved portable battery packs specifically, according to Forbes.

Last year alone, the FAA logged 97 incidents involving smoke, fire, or extreme heat from lithium batteries on passenger and cargo aircraft. That's up from just 9 incidents in 2014 — a nearly tenfold increase in roughly a decade.

2026 isn't slowing down. By mid-April, the FAA had already recorded 28 lithium-fire incidents — 22 verified, 6 under investigation — running at roughly 1.9 incidents per week, per Forbes.

What's Actually Happening Inside the Battery

Faulty or misused lithium-ion batteries can overheat and trigger something called thermal runaway — a chain reaction where rising internal temperatures continuously release more energy, making the battery hotter and hotter until it catches fire, according to BGR.

Lithium fires are not like normal fires. They are self-sustaining and aggressive. Standard fire suppression often fails. Even after being doused, they can reignite.

One incident cited by BGR involved an Alaska Airlines flight forced to land after an onboard power bank caught fire. In a separate, non-aviation case, a 75-year-old woman died after a charger exploded in her lap.

Every Big U.S. Airline Has Now Moved

According to Forbes, all four major U.S. airlines have implemented restrictions:

• American Airlines — effective this past Friday — limits passengers to two portable chargers, requires activated chargers to be kept in plain view (seat pocket or tray table), and bans them from overhead bins when in use.
• Southwest Airlines — the first domestic airline to restrict power banks — now limits passengers to one portable charger and prohibits overhead bin storage entirely.
• United Airlines — since March 1, requires chargers to be kept within reach and out of overhead bins.
• Delta Air Lines — limits passengers to two portable chargers, stored within reach, not in overhead bins.

The UK Regulator Is Also Sounding the Alarm

Across the Atlantic, the UK's Civil Aviation Authority is taking this seriously too. Jonathan Nicholson of the CAA told BBC News that these restrictions exist because the risks are real.

The CAA's rules are straightforward: power banks go in carry-on luggage ONLY, maximum two per passenger, and critically — do NOT charge the power bank itself while on board. Nicholson said that's when they "become really hot and most susceptible to having an issue."

The warning followed EasyJet flight EZY2618 from Hurghada, Egypt to London Luton being diverted to Rome Fiumicino last week after a passenger admitted to packing a power bank in their checked luggage. The plane landed as a "precaution." The CAA says it's planning a summer campaign with UK airlines to push the rules harder before holiday travel season.

Japan Went Further Than Anyone

BGR reports that Japan has banned power banks from flights altogether. Full stop. No exceptions.

What You're Probably Doing Wrong

Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) told The Guardian that the average passenger travels with at least four rechargeable lithium battery devices. Most people have no idea how to handle them safely.

The Guardian also notes that lithium-ion batteries exceeding 160Wh are not permitted on flights at all — unless used for mobility aids. Most people have never looked at the wattage on their power bank. Most people don't know where to find it.

Buy name-brand power banks from reputable manufacturers. BGR specifically calls out cheap, poorly made devices as the biggest risk factor — they skip quality control on the battery cells. Don't overstress the battery by charging multiple devices simultaneously. Keep it away from heat. Don't put it in your checked bag. Ever.

Why Airlines Are Acting Now

The incident rate has nearly doubled in a decade and is accelerating. The FAA tracks this data in real time, and that database shows the trend climbing steadily. Airlines aren't restricting power banks because a regulator told them to look busy. Delta and United each reported at least three lithium-battery incidents on their flights already in 2026 alone, per Forbes. That's one airline, one type of device, five months into the year.

The Rules Going Forward

You want to bring your power bank on your flight. Two units max. Carry-on only. Keep it within reach. Don't charge it mid-air. Don't stash it in the overhead bin.

Those aren't the demands of an overreaching nanny state. They're the difference between a normal flight and 200 people inhaling smoke at 35,000 feet while a crew tries to contain a fire that doesn't want to go out.