Lithium-ion batteries, commonly found in mobile phones, power banks, and vaping devices, are becoming the number one safety risk to aircraft due to their propensity to catch fire. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the UK reports around two lithium battery incidents per week, with the number of devices detected in hold bags nearly doubling from 316 in 2024 to 643 in 2025. Reports of overheating or malfunctioning devices also surged from 123 to 206 in the same period.
While crew are trained to handle in-cabin incidents, the main concern is when these devices are packed in checked luggage, making it impossible to address a fire immediately. Such incidents have led to flight diversions, as seen with an EasyJet flight that had to land in Rome after a power bank was discovered in the hold. A widely shared video from October showed flames erupting from an overhead compartment on an Air China flight, reportedly due to a lithium battery incident. Authorities emphasize that pilots and cabin crew are trained, but prevention is key, starting with passengers packing correctly.
Passengers are reminded to carry all lithium battery-powered devices, such as phones, power banks, and vapes, in their cabin baggage, not in checked luggage. They are generally permitted two power banks per person, which should not be charged onboard. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and other aviation regulators universally recommend keeping these batteries in carry-on bags because fires in the cargo hold are much harder to detect and extinguish. Although most devices are safe, substandard products, often bought from third-party sellers, are frequently responsible for these dangerous overheating incidents. Passengers can typically bring two lithium-ion power banks with a capacity of up to 100 watt-hours without requiring airline approval.
The growing challenge of lithium battery incidents is exacerbated by the increasing number of electronic devices travelers carry; the average person now brings four lithium-powered devices on a flight. According to UL Standards & Engagement, a U.S.-based non-profit safety organization, there were an average of two "thermal runaway incidents" per week in 2024. Preventing these occurrences is critical, as a fire in the hold could have devastating consequences, and removing bags from the hold to address such issues can cause significant flight delays or even diversions.
