The rules inside airplanes very rarely change, but that’s exactly what’s happening right now. At least in Asia! And it could very well spread elsewhere in the near future. It’s related to 1 of the only 6 travel items that are truly essential: you can still *bring* it… but you can no longer *use* it on board.
I’m currently in Asia, and I’ve just experienced these new rules twice rather than once (I shared my testimonial of my transpacific business class flight for $96 (CAD 133) instead of $2887 (CAD 4000)+).
Here is what you need to know about power bank rules on planes.
Rules for power banks (portable chargers) on airplanes
A good power bank is an absolutely essential item for any savvy traveler. It’s available for as little as $22 (CAD 29.99) on Amazon.
It makes travel more convenient and more safe (whether you get an eSIM card for less than $1 (CAD 1)/day or not).
If you’ve traveled in recent years, you probably know that power banks are prohibited in the cargo hold of the plane. They must absolutely be with you on board. That’s obviously nothing new.
But in the last few weeks, several Asian airlines have now banned the use of power banks while on the plane.
You still have to bring them on the plane, but you can’t use them to charge items on the plane, and you can’t recharge the power banks with the power outlets or USB ports on the plane either.
The airlines with these new rules seem to be mostly Asian, but a few European airline have these rules too, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it happens elsewhere, too. To be continued.
These rules are due to the fire risk with power banks, particularly since the major incident in South Korea on January 28.
The last thing to know about power bank rules on planes is that there are also maximum power limits to respect. It’s 100Wh or 160Wh generally, so all the main chargers are more than fine (100Wh equals 27,000mAh), with a caveat I explain in the next section. There’s also sometimes a maximum quantity of power banks you can bring (rare, and it’s never below 2… and I really don’t see why you would need more than 2).
Last week, I had new experiences with the maximum power limit and the usage ban.
My experience with maximum power rules for power banks on planes
It’s extremely easy to travel with carry-ons only like pro fliers do and as I have done for 500+ flights. So I always have more than enough room to bring 2 power banks, just to make sure I’m never out of mobile phone battery.
I have my main one, which is the one we recommend. But I got another one for free at a travel conference, and I always carried it because it’s smaller and less bulky, which I find convenient.
I’ve been taking it with me for years, on many trips. I’ve never had any problems.
But at security screening in Shenzhen (SZX) in China last week, the agent confiscated it.
Why? The power level was not indicated on the power bank at all. So they don’t take chances, in case the power bank would be more powerful than the maximum limit. It was tiny and almost impossible for it to be over the limit, but it wasn’t written so it’s banned. It’s kind of like if your liquid bottle doesn’t clearly indicate that it’s less than 100mL.
Yet I had this exact power bank with me when I went through security screening at Chinese airports 4 times (and in 25 airports in 18 countries) this fall during my round-the-world trip to get 1 million points.
So it shows how much more seriously they’re taking this now.
My experience with power bank usage ban rules on planes
After having my small power bank confiscated, I went to eat a good free bowl of noodles in the airport lounge, easily accessible with many Canadian credit cards, including the best one right now that gives you $740 (CAD 1025) for free.
During this trip, I tried a few times, rather unintentionally, the trendy new “airport theory”, which is arriving just 15-20 minutes before boarding time. I could do a detailed post on this, but basically, it’s quite risky (which is part of the appeal for those who want a thrill in their lives). Clearly the people who do this don’t understand how easy it is to get free airport lounge access.
Anyway, I didn’t have time to charge my mobile phone for long in the lounge. I had to go to the special boarding gate so a VIP minibus could take me directly to the bottom of the jetbridge for my flight.
This is one of the benefits of airline elite status, in my case, Aeroplan 50K. That gives Star Alliance Gold status, and Shenzhen Airlines is a Star Alliance member. I mention this because there’s currently a Marriott promotion and it’s ending soon, and it’s the best way to achieve Aeroplan elite status (but just 25K, so Star Alliance Silver).
Once on board the plane, I used my power bank to recharge my phone.
As soon as the flight attendant saw this, she immediately told me that it was now prohibited.
This afternoon, on my Cambodia Airways flight, they also announced the ban was in effect.
How to know the power bank rules on planes
Honestly, you don’t really need to worry about it that much for now.
Almost all main power banks are below the maximum power limit. You just need to check yours, and as long as it’s indicated on it that it’s less than 100Wh, you’re fine.
Between 100Wh and 160Wh, it can be more problematic on certain airlines, so check their rules. Like (almost) everything in the world of travel (or in life, because it’s 2025), you can usually find the information on the airline’s website (unsurprisingly)!
Of course, there can be a few exceptions in certain countries like for all rules… for example, like the United States, which is about the only one not allowing small knives on board. But I wouldn’t worry too much about it. If you like to check everything, then check.
Then, regarding usage on board, you can just ask a flight attendant if you can use it or not. You don’t really need to do anything. Either you can use, or you can’t. It doesn’t change much in your life.
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Summary
Power banks have been banned in checked luggage for a long time due to fire risks. Now, several Asian airlines have banned their use on planes.
What would you like to know about the rules for power banks on planes? Tell us in the comments below.
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Featured image: People in a plane (photo credit: Suhyeon Choi)
