Lithium ion batteries, found in equipment you might want to carry with you in your checked-in baggage while travelling, are producing a safety risk this summer in the United Kingdom, BBC News reported. The unprecedented heatwave in Europe has only compounded matters.
According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the fire risk posed by lithium batteries — found in power banks, laptops, mobile phones, smart watches, and vapes, is now the top safety risk to aircraft.
The risk has led to the aviation agency to issue a blanket reminder for passengers traveling via global airlines to take such devices in the flight cabin, rather than inside their checked-in luggage.
Why are lithium-ion batteries dangerous inside flights?
The increasing use of power banks — which rely on lithium-ion batteries — inside airplanes has led to onboard safety risks, especially incidents that involve thermal runaway.
Thermal runaway is a hazardous condition in which battery cells overheat, potentially resulting in fire, explosion, or toxic gas release, which are difficult to control.
While modern smartphones and advanced devices mostly include overcharge protection systems, many power banks – especially basic models – lack any similar safeguards, increasing the risk of malfunction and thereby, fire.
Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK, told BBC that the risk of lithium battery incidents was a “growing challenge” as the number of electronic devices used by people increases. “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,” he said.
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‘2 lithium battery incidents per week’
About 316 incidents of devices with lithium batteries detected in checked-in bags were reported to UK authorities in 2024. In 2025, this number rose to 643.
Reports of such lithium-ion loaded devices overheating or malfunctioning also nearly doubled last year — from 123 to 206, BBC quoted.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority declared that around two lithium battery incidents are now being reported each week, according to the BBC.
Ban on power banks in check-in baggage
Dubai-based Emirates, since October 1 last year, has banned the use of power banks on its flights. While passengers can carry one power bank onboard, with specific conditions, they cannot use them inside the aircraft cabin, according to a report in The Indian Express.
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Meanwhile, in India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), too, prohibited power banks in checked-in baggage, citing the presence of lithium cells, which tend to combust. They can overheat and catch fire if mishandled or damaged, mostly during baggage handling.
These power banks can be carried in one’s hand luggage, under certain conditions. Indian airlines allow only two power banks with up to 100Wh in hand baggage, while those with a capacity between 100Wh and 160Wh need to be approved by respective airlines before boarding. “Power banks exceeding 160Wh are usually prohibited,” the expert added.
Tips to carry electronic items while travelling via flights
Passengers are advised to carry their mobile phones, vapes and power banks on board in the flight cabin. Carrying power banks in checked-in baggage is prohibited by airlines.
The CAA also requested travellers to carry only two power banks per person. They should never be charged onboard, it stated.
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The CAA also reminded passengers to switch off their laptops entirely if they carry them in check-in luggage.
Giuseppe Capanna, a product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, advised passengers via BBC to carry safe, tested products with them, while underlining that “substandard versions” bought through third-party sellers usually caused such fire risks.
