Power banks on planes in 2026: new bans on using them on board
Since March 2026: no more than two power banks and no charging them in flight. easyJet, Aer Lingus and Lufthansa ban using them, BA bans them from overhead lockers. Wh limits and airline rules.
Contents
- A power bank can only travel in your hand luggage – never in a suitcase checked into the hold.
- Since 27 March 2026, ICAO rules allow a maximum of 2 power banks per passenger and ban charging them during the flight.
- Several airlines now ban using power banks on board altogether, including easyJet, Aer Lingus and Lufthansa (from 15 January 2026). British Airways no longer allows them in overhead lockers.
- A power bank of up to 100 Wh (about 27,000 mAh) goes through without question; between 100 and 160 Wh you need the airline’s approval.
Checked: 15 November 2026. Sources at the end of the article.
What changed in 2026?
The biggest change came from ICAO, the UN agency that sets worldwide rules for carrying dangerous goods by air. Since 27 March 2026:
- each passenger may carry no more than 2 power banks,
- power banks must not be charged during the flight – neither from the seat socket nor from another power bank.
Back in May 2025, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) advised airlines that passengers should keep power banks on them and preferably not use them in flight. The reason was a series of cabin fires, including one on an Air Busan aircraft in January 2025 that was attributed to a power bank in an overhead locker.
How many Wh can a power bank have on a plane?
| Capacity | In hand luggage | In hold luggage |
|---|---|---|
| up to 100 Wh | yes, no approval needed | no |
| 100–160 Wh | only with the airline’s approval (request it before you fly) | no |
| over 160 Wh | no | no |
Some airlines are stricter. Ryanair doesn’t carry power banks over 100 Wh at all, even with approval, and British Airways is reported to have set the same 100 Wh cap.
How do I convert mAh to Wh?
Power banks usually show mAh, but the rules talk about Wh. The formula is simple:
Wh = mAh × voltage (V) ÷ 1,000
Most power banks use cells rated at 3.6–3.7 V. At 3.7 V, that gives:
| Capacity in mAh | Wh (at 3.7 V) | Allowed without approval? |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 mAh | about 18.5 Wh | yes |
| 10,000 mAh | about 37 Wh | yes |
| 20,000 mAh | about 74 Wh | yes |
| 26,800 mAh | about 99 Wh | yes, just |
| 30,000 mAh | about 111 Wh | only with the airline’s approval |
| 40,000 mAh | about 148 Wh | only with the airline’s approval |
The surest way to check is the casing: most power banks have the Wh, or the mAh and voltage, printed on them. Without any marking, it’s hard to prove at security that yours is within the limit.
What are the rules on UK, Irish and other major airlines?
| Airline | Since | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| British Airways | May 2026 | max. 2, each up to 100 Wh; not in the overhead locker at any point; no charging the power bank from seat power |
| easyJet | 2026 | max. 2, each up to 160 Wh, individually protected; must not be used on board, including to charge other devices |
| Aer Lingus | June 2026 | max. 2, kept within reach (not in the hold or overhead locker); no charging devices from a power bank and no charging the power bank in flight |
| Ryanair | rules as of November 2026 | max. 2, up to 100 Wh, on you or under the seat; the power bank must not be charged, but you can use it to charge your phone except during taxiing, take-off and landing |
| Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels, Eurowings and other group airlines | 15 January 2026 | no using or charging power banks, max. 2, not in the overhead locker |
| Emirates | 1 October 2025 | no using power banks, 1 per passenger up to 100 Wh, not in the overhead locker |
| Singapore Airlines, Scoot | 1 April 2025 | no using or charging power banks |
| Korean Air, Asiana, EVA Air, China Airlines | 1 March 2025 | no using or charging power banks |
Flying Jet2, TUI or Virgin Atlantic? Check the airline’s current rules before you fly. Airlines changed them several times in 2025–2026, and information online is often contradictory.
Where should I keep my power bank during the flight?
More and more airlines require your power bank to be on you or in the bag under the seat in front, not in the overhead locker. That’s the case with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, Emirates and Ryanair, among others. The point is that the crew can spot smoke or overheating quickly.
- Don’t pack your power bank in the suitcase that goes in the overhead locker. Move it to your pocket, backpack or handbag under the seat.
- Asked to check in your cabin bag at the gate? Take out the power bank and any spare batteries before you hand it over.
- Protect the terminals. Keep spare batteries in separate pouches or their original packaging so nothing can short-circuit them.
- Power bank getting hot or smelling of burning? Tell the crew immediately. Don’t try to put it out or get rid of it yourself.
How do I keep my phone charged if I can’t use a power bank?
- Charge your phone and power bank fully before you leave home.
- Top up your phone at the airport before boarding. Use the power bank before the flight and after landing.
- Use the USB socket in your seat, if the aircraft has one. It can charge your phone – but not your power bank.
- Switch on flight mode and download your boarding pass to the app in advance. Your battery will last longer.
What about a suitcase with a built-in power bank?
Airlines treat them as “smart bags”. Take Ryanair: a suitcase with a battery that can’t be removed won’t go in the hold, and in the cabin it’s allowed only with a very small battery (up to 2.7 Wh). If the battery is removable, you must take it out – even when the suitcase travels with you in the cabin – and keep it on you or in the bag under your seat.
Our E+ cabin suitcase has a removable 10,000 mAh power bank – about 37 Wh, less than half the 100 Wh limit. Take it out before your flight and put it in your pocket or under-seat bag: that way you also meet the rules of airlines that don’t allow power banks in overhead lockers.
Sources
Checked 15 November 2026.
- ICAO, 27 March 2026: New power bank restrictions will safeguard international aviation
- EASA, 28 May 2025: new recommendations on lithium batteries (SIB 2025-03)
- British Airways: Paddle Your Own Kanoo, 9 May 2026
- easyJet: Reuters via Asharq Al-Awsat, May 2026 (easyJet’s power bank rules quoted)
- Aer Lingus: The Irish Times, 1 June 2026
- Ryanair Help Centre (updated 4 November 2026): What items are permitted on board?
- Lufthansa Group: Power banks on board: updated regulations starting 15 January 2026; Euronews, 18 January 2026: Lufthansa and power banks
- Emirates: Business Traveller, 8 August 2025
- Singapore Airlines and Scoot: The Star, 12 March 2025
- E+ and power bank specifications: eternitive.com product pages (C-ES-B, PB-E-B), 15 November 2026
Important: this article is for general information only and reflects the situation on the date it was checked (shown above). Airline, airport and government rules can change at any time. Before you travel, always check the latest information directly with your airline, the airport or the official source. This article is not legal advice, and Eternitive is not responsible for decisions made solely on the basis of it.
