Airlines are rethinking how passengers carry and use portable batteries after a fire on a South Korean Air Busan flight in January 2025. Germany’s Lufthansa is taking the lead in Europe with stricter safety measures to prevent similar incidents.
Stricter Rules for In-Flight Use
Lufthansa now prohibits passengers from using power banks to charge devices during flights or connecting them to seatback infotainment systems. While passengers can still bring batteries in cabin luggage, storing them in overhead compartments is no longer allowed. Travelers 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. Passengers who need to carry larger batteries must inform the airline in advance and obtain approval, or risk confiscation and destruction. Each traveler is limited to two power banks per flight. These rules apply across all Lufthansa-operated and affiliated carriers, including Swiss, Eurowings, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Edelweiss, Discover, and Air Dolomiti.
Lessons from a Dangerous Fire
The new rules follow a serious incident on an Air Busan Airbus A321, when a power bank ignited in an overhead compartment, injuring 27 people. The fire spread rapidly, but passengers evacuated safely using emergency slides. Investigations confirmed that the blaze was caused by a damaged battery.
The incident prompted aviation authorities worldwide to review safety guidelines for lithium batteries, leading airlines like Lufthansa to adopt stronger measures to reduce the risk of fires in the future.
