Qantas bans power bank battery packs

Qantas, Jetstar and QantasLink have now banned the use of portable ‘power bank’ batteries accross all domestic and international flights, effective from Monday December 15, 2025.

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

The move follows similar bans imposed by an increasing number of airlines – including Virgin Australia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways, EVA Air and Korean Air – after a series of incidents in which batteries have caught fire on board and even in airport lounges.

What does this mean for travellers?

New Qantas rules for flying with power banks

While you can still bring a rechargeable power bank onto your flight in carry-on, it can’t be used on board:

• you can’t connect your phone, tablet or any other device to the power bank to charge them up en route, and
• you can’t plug the power bank into the plane’s USB socket to charge it up

For that reason, we strongly recommend bringing along a USB charging cable with you so you can plug your phone, tablet etc into the seat’s USB power outlet.

The majority of the Qantas fleet already boasts USB charging ports for every passenger, with the newest Airbus A220 and A321XLR jets featuring dual USB-A and USB-C outlets.

Qantas' latest economy seats feature USB-A and USB-C outlets handily located alongside a fold-down shelf for your tablet or phone.

Read more: Qantas rolls out next-generation economy seat

All the same, before you board the flight it might also be worth taking advantage of a quick top-up using power outlets in the airport lounge or the terminal.

Passengers on Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar are allowed to bring two power banks on board, at the following capacity:

• power banks up to 100Wh can be brought on board without special approval
• power banks between 100Wh and 160Wh require special approval
• power banks above 160Wh are not permitted as passenger baggage, and can only be sent as freight

Don’t confuse that Wh (Watt-hour) rating with the battery’s power output (measured in Watts) or its capacity (measured in milliampere-hours, or mAh).

That nominal 100Wh rating covers pretty much every power bank on the market – even the chunky Anker Laptop Power Bank, which has a maxumum 165W output and 25,000 mAh capacity, is rated at just 90Wh.

Even this powerful Anker battery sits well under Qantas' 160Wh limit.

Also safe to bring on Qantas flights are most Ryobi ONE+ 18V batteries used by handymen and tradies, although thebeefiest 8Ah/144Wh model will need approval.

It’s worth noting that Qantas also requires that exposed battery terminals must be “protected” to prevent accidental discharge – this is easily done by putting some tape across the terminals.

As before, power banks continue to be prohibited from checked luggage – either bring them on board in your carry-on baggage, or leave them at home.

Power bank batteries must also be kept within easy reach – such as in a seat pocket or under the seat in front of you – and not stored in the overhead luggage bin.

If you own a “smart bag” which contains a battery, the battery must be removed from the bag and taken as carry-on, and stowed in the same way as power banks.

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.

According to the International Air Transport Association, 44% of passengers today travel with a power bank.

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.