Can you bring battery packs on a plane

Some of the goods we use in our everyday life seem harmless: hair sprays, lithium batteries, perfume, matches… However they may be very dangerous when transported by air. For your own safety, and to avoid potential fines, it is very important that you carefully read the dangerous goods information provided by your airline before your flight.

• Lithium batteries
• E – cigarettes
• Personal transportation devices
• Use of mobile phones and laptops onboard (Personal Electronic Devices - PEDs)
• Damaged, Defective or Recalled Lithium Batteries

Lithium batteries

Lithium batteries are contained in many items of frequent use. Your cell phone, your laptop, tablet or even camera are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. When damaged, short-circuited or overheated, these batteries can catch fire.

You should carry your portable electronic devices (PEDs, such as cameras, laptops and phones) in your hand baggage (carry-on), and not in your checked baggage. Under normal circumstances, we can use our laptops, eReaders, tablets or MP3 players on board for working, reading, listening to music or watching movies. Even our cell phones can be used on most airplanes for i.e. playing simple games. However, keep in mind that PEDs may interfere with the airplane equipment and this differs from one type of aircraft to another. This is why airlines require to switch them to “airplane mode” at all times.

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Although not recommended, if you need to pack your electronic device in your checked baggage, you have to make sure that the devices are completely switched off and protected from accidental activation. Spare batteries and power banks, however, always have to be transported in your carry-on baggage - never in your checked baggage - and they must be individually protected to prevent short-circuits. E-cigarettes must always be in your hand baggage.

Also, spare batteries, including power banks, should not be recharged while on board the aircraft. Additionally, power banks should not be connected or providing power to a device while on board the aircraft.

Whether in your carry-on or checked baggage – the battery must not exceed a certain watt-hour (Wh), and should be bought from original retailers only and never from untrustworthy sources.

Here you will find more practical information on lithium batteries, how to carry and pack them, and how to react if your device gets too hot, or also if it gets lost in the cabin.

E-cigarettes

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) contain a battery and a heating element that vaporizes a liquid vapour to simulate tabacco smoking.

Several incidents were reported to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) involving e-cigarettes overheating resulting in a fire in checked baggage. For this reason, these devices can only be carried in the cabin, and it is forbidden to recharge them while on board the aircraft.

See Safety Information Bulletin on Fire Risk of Electronic Cigarettes in Checked Baggage (SIB 2015-06R1).

Personal transportation devices

Small lithium battery powered personal transportation devices, also known as hoverboards, self-balancing devices or gravity boards, were one of the most sold devices recently. However, there have been incidents where these items or their batteries overheated, caught fire and even exploded.

Passengers are not allowed to carry these batteries in their checked bag, as batteries have a rating of 100 Wh or more. Because of the high risk posed by these devices, many airlines have decided to additionally restrict their transport in the cabin.
It is therefore safer to leave these items at home when flying. 

See Safety Information Bulletin on Carriage of Personal Transportation Devices (SIB 2016-04). 

Damaged, Defective or Recalled Lithium Batteries

Lithium ion cells and batteries that have been identified by the manufacturer as being defective for safety reasons, or that have been damaged, that have the potential of producing a dangerous evolution of heat, fire or short circuit (e.g. those being returned to the manufacturer for safety reasons) can be very dangerous and passengers should avoid to carry them. Additional precautions should be taken when one of these items is identified to be on board.

See Safety Information Bulletin on Safety Precautions regarding the Transport by Air of Damaged, Defective or Recalled Lithium Batteries (SIB 2017-01R1).
 

Has a power bank become a big and important part of your life? It is without a doubt your inseparable friend wherever you go. You simply cannot imagine the day without using your dear mobile phone or tablet? Then you know how important it is to keep it fully charged around the clock.

Are you planning to go on a flight any time soon? Beside ensuring that your external battery is compatible with your iPhone 12 Pro Max case, iPhone 12 Pro case, iPhone 12 case or iPhone 12 mini case, you are probably wondering if it is allowed on the airplane. You will need your device charged as soon as you land, especially if the journey lasts long.

You can stop worrying because we have a good news for you: Yes, power bank is allowed on the flight!

Rules and guidelines that apply to power bank on airplane

Before packing for the trip and arriving to the airport, you should inform yourself of all the rules and guidelines that apply to external battery sources such as power banks. As you already know, all airlines have many rules that must be observed so that all travelers can enjoy a safe and secure flight. Emergency chargers are also no exception. Some rules and guidelines may vary depending on the departure and arrival countries, but the majority of them applies to all countries.

Read out our infographic checklist to find the most common rules:

According to the Transport Laws, in order to be able to carry a portable charger with lithium-ion batteries on board, the batteries must be less than 100 Wh and contain less than 2g of lithium.

You can count how much Watt hours (Wh) your portable charger has according to the following formula:
mAh/1000 x V = Wh

The mAh (millimeter hours) shows the capacity of your emergency charger ie measures electrical power per hour. V is nominal voltage ie the difference between electrical potential on both ends: fully charged and fully discharged battery.

Watt hours show how much watts the batteries can supply your unit per hour and generally applies to different types of batteries. According to a number of regulations, the manufacturers are also required to label their products with Wh since 2009, so most models should have this information either on the case or in the manual. The limit of 100 Wh often applies to models with a capacity of up to 27000 mAh and voltage between 3.6 - 3.87 V.

If the power banks are over 100 Wh, it is still possible to carry them on board. This applies to the batteries with a strength of between 100 - 160 Wh. If that is the case, you have to apply for approval from the airline and you must not take more than two products. This often applies to the models that are between 27000-40000 mAh.

In some cases, you can also get approval for a large power bank of more than 160 Wh, but in this case it is regarded as dangerous goods and must be transported in a special space and requires additional costs. Conditions for such transport are determined according to IATA regulations. Fortunately, such models are very rare.

Most portable chargers have different certifications such as CE, RoHS and FCC, but UN 38.3 is the most important certificate it must have if you want it with you on board.

For safety reasons you should have your battery bank in hand luggage and protected against short circuit. You do this by taping over ends or using integrated protection if available. It is also recommended to pack it in its original packaging and if you choose to have several portable chargers, you should pack them separately.

Powerbank in a checked baggage: Why not?

Do you wonder why an external battery should not be checked in?

Do you remember China Southern in February 2018 or Lufthansa in the summer of 2017 when powerbanks started burning in these cabins? Just think of what could have happened if these were in checked baggage where various flammable objects were lying and there was no one who could prevent fire in the cargo area ... It doesn't sound so good, right?

Regardless of how much a power bank is safe and have different certificates, some chemical reactions can occur unexpectedly. These can cause explosion and fire. In this case, these require rapid reaction and proper handling so that large damage can be prevented and that all travelers can land at their planned destinations safely and on time.

Now you are ready to fly with your power bank!

All of the above rules and restrictions apply to most well-known airlines in the UK such as Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, FlyBe, Jet2.com and EasyJet.

As soon as you check in and get on board relax and enjoy the trip that take you to your favorite destination. You can enjoy your fully charged device throughout the trip and capture your fun memories in picture or video. If you need any information, we are sure that your airline will help, and if you need additional information about a particular power bank from our range and how you can match it with other mobile accessories such as an iPhone 14 case, iPhone 14 Plus case, iPhone 14 Pro case, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 13 case, iPhone 13 mini case, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max case, you are most welcome to call or email us!