Emirates’ battery pack, power bank ban is now in force

Passengers on all Emirates flights will no longer be able to use battery packs and power banks in-flight, with the airline’s ban on the popular tech accessories coming into force from Wednesday 1 October 2025.

The ban covers charging devices such as phones, tablets, laptops and cameras from the power bank, as well as using the plane’s USB or AC outlets to recharge the battery pack itself.

Emirates says it is “taking a firm and proactive stance to mitigate risk when it comes to power banks on board” following a comprehensive safety review carried out by the airline.

“There has been a significant growth in customers using power banks in recent years, resulting in an increasing number of lithium battery-related incidents onboard flights across the wider aviation industry.”

Each Emirates passenger will be permitted to carry a single power bank on board, with its capacity limited to 100 Watt Hours, but the battery “may not be used while in the aircraft cabin.”

In addition, power banks can no longer be stowed in the overhead luggage bin, “and must now be placed in the seat pocket or in a bag under the seat in front of you,” the airline insists.

“Most phones and sophisticated lithium battery-powered devices have an internal trickle system which slowly adds current into the battery to prevent overcharging, but many basic power banks may not have this safeguard, increasing the risk.”

The inflight risk of battery packs

Battery packs containing lithium-ion cells have become increasingly common among travellers as a way to recharge their mobile phones, tablets and even laptops, despite most planes now including USB outlets at every seat.

However, they run the risk of a process called “thermal runaway” if the battery malfunctions, with a rapid release of energy causing a chain reaction which produces extreme heat, fire or even an explosion.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported 34 lithium battery-related incidents in 2025, with 11 directly linked to personal battery packs, with a staggering 388% increase in lithium battery fires aboard US flights between 2015 and 2024.

Many airlines across Asia now ban power packs from being used during a flight – either charging a device, or being recharged itself via a USB port – and require passengers to keep the battery pack with them at their seat, rather than in the overhead locker.