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Doha, Qatar: Dubai-based airline, Emirates announced a ban on using power banks on its flight, which takes effect on October 1, 2025.
In a statement released yesterday, August 8, 2025, the airlines clarified that while travellers are permitted to carry one power bank on board with specific conditions, they were not allowed to use them while in the aircraft cabin or to charge them using the aircraft's power source.
The airlines noted a significant increase in power bank usage in recent years, and a corresponding rise in the number of lithium battery-related incidents on flights across industry.
The airlines' new regulations include:
- Emirates customers may carry one power bank that is under 100 Watt Hours.
- Power banks may not be used to charge any personal devices onboard.
- Charging a power bank using the aircraft’s power supply is not permitted.
- All power banks accepted for transport must have capacity rating information available.
- Power banks may not be placed in the overhead stowage bin onboard the aircraft and must now be placed in the seat pocket or in a bag under the seat in front of you.
- Power banks are not permitted in checked luggage (existing rule).
The airlines stated that while most sophisticated devices have internal safeguards to prevent overcharging, many basic power banks may not have this safeguard, increasing the risk. "All power banks are subject to the new rules onboard Emirates," it added.
The new regulations are expected to significantly reduce risks associated with power banks by prohibiting their use during flight. The airline added that storing them in accessible locations within the cabin ensures that in the rare event of a fire, trained cabin crew can quickly respond and extinguish the fire.
