Power Banks Top Flight Risk
UK aviation officials warn in June that power banks and vapes are now the leading aircraft safety concern for international travellers.
What Changed
Who It Affects
The UK Civil Aviation Authority says badly packed power banks and vapes are now the biggest safety threat to aircraft.
Power banks and vapes are now being described by the UK Civil Aviation Authority as the biggest safety threat to aircraft, with officials warning passengers on 26 June 2026 to pack battery-powered devices correctly. The message is aimed at international travellers carrying portable chargers, e-cigarettes and spare lithium batteries in everyday hand luggage. The risk is not that every device is dangerous, but that damaged, poorly protected or wrongly packed lithium batteries can overheat, smoke or catch fire during a journey.
What the CAA Warning Means
The CAA’s “pack right for a safe flight” warning focuses on lithium battery items that have become routine travel essentials. Power banks, vapes, camera batteries, drone batteries and spare rechargeable cells all contain stored energy, and that energy can become a hazard if the battery is faulty, crushed, short-circuited or exposed to heat. The authority is not telling travellers to stop carrying these items altogether; instead, it is urging passengers to pack them in the correct bag, protect them from damage and follow airline limits. For most travellers, the key practical change is to think about battery safety before reaching airport security, not while repacking at the gate.
Why Power Banks and Vapes Are a Flight Risk
Lithium batteries are widely used because they are light, powerful and rechargeable, but they can enter a dangerous failure state known as thermal runaway if something goes wrong. In simple terms, a damaged or short-circuited battery can heat itself rapidly, release smoke, ignite nearby material or produce flames. In an aircraft cabin, crew can see and respond to smoke or overheating quickly using established safety procedures. In the hold, the same problem is more difficult to spot immediately, which is why spare batteries and portable chargers are normally treated differently from ordinary clothing or toiletries.
Where to Pack Power Banks, Vapes and Spare Batteries
As a practical rule, power banks and spare lithium batteries should travel in cabin baggage rather than checked luggage, unless your airline gives a specific alternative instruction. Vapes and e-cigarettes should also be kept out of checked bags and must not be used on board. Loose batteries should never be left rattling around in a pocket with keys, coins or other metal items, because contact with exposed terminals can create a short circuit. Use the original packaging, a dedicated battery case or tape over exposed terminals so each battery is separated and protected.
Practical Tips
- Tip 1: Keep power banks, vapes and spare lithium batteries in cabin baggage unless your airline explicitly instructs otherwise, because crew can deal with smoke, heat or fire faster in the cabin than in the hold.
- Tip 2: Protect battery terminals before you travel by keeping items in original packaging, using a battery case, taping exposed contacts or separating devices so metal objects such as keys and coins cannot cause a short circuit.
- Tip 3: Check your airline’s watt-hour and quantity limits before packing, especially for large-capacity power banks, drone batteries and camera equipment, as rules can vary between carriers and connecting flights.
- Tip 4: Never use, charge or leave a vape unattended on board, and do not pack vapes in checked luggage; many airlines require e-cigarettes to stay switched off and stored safely for the whole flight.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ✕Mistake 1: Putting power banks or vapes in checked luggage, because a lithium battery incident in the aircraft hold is harder for crew to detect and manage quickly.
- ✕Mistake 2: Assuming every airline has identical battery rules, which can lead to confiscation at security or boarding if your power bank exceeds the carrier’s limit.
- ✕Mistake 3: Travelling with damaged, swollen, overheating or unbranded batteries, as these are more likely to fail and may be refused by airline or airport staff.
- ✕Mistake 4: Packing loose batteries beside coins, keys or cables without protection, because exposed terminals can short-circuit and create a fire risk.
Quick Checklist
- Move power banks, vapes and spare batteries into cabin baggage
- Check your airline’s lithium battery and vape rules before travelling
- Protect loose battery terminals with a case, cover or tape
- Verify the watt-hour rating or capacity printed on each power bank
- Have a backup charger or compliant smaller power bank ready
