As air travel enters the busy summer season, Southwest Airlines is introducing a significant safety policy change affecting how passengers use portable power banks during flights. Starting May 28, 2024, the airline will require all portable chargers to remain in plain sight while in use, marking the first such restriction by a major U.S. carrier.
The New Policy and Its Implications
Southwest Airlines has announced that passengers must keep portable chargers, power banks, and battery cases visible at all times when they're actively charging devices during flights. This means travelers can no longer keep these items tucked away in carry-on bags under seats or stored in overhead compartments while they're in use. The policy specifically targets lithium-ion battery-powered charging devices, which have been implicated in an increasing number of in-flight fire incidents. Importantly, the restriction only applies when the battery is connected and actively charging another device; when not in use, these items can remain stored in carry-on luggage.
Rising Concerns About Lithium Battery Fires
The policy change comes amid growing concerns about lithium-ion battery fires on aircraft. According to Federal Aviation Administration statistics, there have already been 19 incidents involving these batteries in 2024, following last year's record high of 89 cases. The number of incidents has more than doubled since the pandemic-era low of 39 in 2020, with the trend showing consistent annual increases. While these numbers remain relatively small compared to the approximately 180,000 flights U.S. airlines operate weekly, the potential severity of such incidents has prompted this precautionary measure.
| Lithium Battery Fire Incidents | Count |
|---|---|
| 2024 (so far) | 19 |
| 2023 | 89 |
| 2020 | 39 |
| Total since 2006 | 620 |
International Precedents
Southwest's new rule follows similar and sometimes stricter measures implemented by several Asian airlines earlier this year. These changes were prompted by a devastating fire aboard an Air Busan plane in January that burned through the aircraft's roof and forced the evacuation of all 176 people on board. Though the exact cause of that fire hasn't been officially determined, Korean airlines subsequently banned portable chargers from overhead bins, requiring them to be packed in plastic bags or have their ports covered with insulating tape. Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways have taken even more stringent approaches, prohibiting the use or charging of portable power banks entirely during flights.
Airline Policies on Portable Chargers:
- Southwest Airlines: Must be kept in plain sight when in use (effective May 28, 2024)
- Korean airlines: Cannot be stored in overhead bins; must be in plastic bags or have ports covered
- Singapore Airlines & Thai Airways: Complete prohibition on use or charging during flights
Safety Rationale and Emergency Response
The airline explained that keeping chargers visible allows for quicker intervention in the rare event that a lithium battery overheats or catches fire. This visibility could be crucial for flight crews, who are trained to recognize and respond to lithium battery fires. The Transportation Security Administration has long prohibited e-cigarettes and devices with lithium-ion batteries in checked bags precisely because fires in the cargo hold are harder to detect and extinguish. The FAA recommends that passengers keep cell phones and other devices nearby on planes for quick access and advises notifying flight crew immediately if a lithium battery or device is overheating, expanding, smoking, or burning.
Top Devices Involved in Lithium Battery Incidents:
- Lithium-ion batteries/battery packs
- Vaping devices
- Cellular phones
Potential Industry-Wide Changes
While Southwest is currently the only U.S. airline to implement such a policy, industry observers suggest other carriers may follow suit as concerns about battery safety continue to grow. A 2023 report by UL Standards & Engagement identified e-cigarettes as the devices most prone to overheating, with more than a quarter of surveyed passengers admitting to placing vaping cigarettes and portable chargers in checked bags despite federal prohibitions. As lithium-powered devices become increasingly ubiquitous in air travel, passengers should prepare for potentially stricter regulations across all airlines in the interest of cabin safety.