Airline passengers urged not to put power banks in hold luggage due to fire risk

While many travellers use power banks to keep their electronic devices, such as mobile phones, charged while they are away from home, there are risks associated with their use.

Faulty power banks can cause aggressive fires due to their rechargeable lithium batteries, which store a relatively large amount of energy in one space.

The warnings come after the CAA reported that the number of overheating or malfunctioning passenger devices last year nearly doubled compared to the amount from 2024.

Cases of lithium battery-powered devices being incorrectly packed in hold luggage rose 91% over the same period. This adds additional risks as it is generally easier for flight crews to respond to fires inside the cabin compared to fires in the hold.

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This could be because passengers are not aware of the risks associated with incorrect packing, with a survey of passengers indicating that 36% are unaware of the dangers of packing batteries in checked baggage.

Speaking on the announcement, CAA director of aviation safety Giancarlo Buono said: "Pack right for a safe flight, and that means don't put your batteries in your checked bag. Take them into the cabin with you".

He also added that this advice will make the flight safer for both yourself and other passengers.

It also suggested people take an average of four lithium-powered devices on trips, which equates to more than 2,000 on a busy Airbus A380 flight.

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, added to the comments, calling the increasing use of lithium batteries "a growing challenge" for the industry.

He said: "Whilst pilots and cabin crew are trained to deal with any situation, the best outcome is always prevention, which starts when passengers pack their bags."