Flight Safety Alert: Using Power Banks Onboard Now Prohibited

India’s aviation watchdog has tightened in-flight rules on power banks and other lithium battery devices. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has barred passengers from using power banks to charge phones or gadgets during flights, even when aircraft seats have power outlets, following several global cases of lithium batteries overheating or catching fire on aircraft.

The November 'Dangerous Goods Advisory Circular’ allows power banks and spare lithium batteries only in hand baggage, not checked bags. However, they should not be kept in overhead bins, where smoke or flames may stay hidden. The circular says quick access inside the cabin is vital because any delay in spotting a fire can make control harder.

Lithium battery safety risks in flights

Regulators say lithium battery fires pose a serious threat because they release high energy and may sustain themselves. As the advisory explains, "The widespread usage of lithium batteries in various rechargeable devices has led to an increase in carriage of lithium batteries by air. Power banks, portable chargers, and similar devices containing lithium batteries can act as ignition sources and potentially initiate on-board fires," the circular said.

The location of these batteries on board matters as much as their number. The DGCA warned that "Lithium batteries placed in overhead stowage bins or within carry-on baggage may be obscured, difficult to access, or not readily monitored by passengers or crew members. This may result in delayed detection of smoke or fire and response actions, increasing the potential hazard to flight safety," it added.

The advisory notes that even small devices can become dangerous if the battery fails. It states, "A lithium battery fire can be started by uncontrolled heating, overcharging, crushing or internal short circuit triggered by poor manufacturing quality, aged batteries, or damage due to mishandling. Unlike other fires, lithium battery fires may be self-sustaining and require special methods to handle," the advisory noted.

New lithium battery safety checks for airlines

The DGCA has instructed airlines to revisit their safety risk assessments for lithium batteries carried by passengers. Operators must introduce stronger barriers to stop battery fires in cabins, improve systems that spot heat or smoke early, and ensure firefighting steps are clear. The regulator expects airlines to treat lithium-powered items as a key safety issue, not a minor cabin convenience.

Training is central to these new expectations. Cabin crew should quickly identify signs like overheating, strange smells, visible smoke, or sparks from electronic devices. They must also know which extinguishers to use, how to cool devices safely, and how to limit smoke exposure. Airlines have been told to keep firefighting tools and protective equipment in working order and within easy reach.

Passenger awareness and airport lithium battery safety messaging

The circular puts heavy focus on how passengers behave during such events. Travellers are required to "immediately inform the cabin crew if any device emits heat, smoke or an unusual odour", the rules state. At the same time, airlines have to "promptly report all safety issues and occurrences related to lithium battery incidents to DGCA", allowing the regulator to track patterns and improve rules.

Airports across India also have a role in spreading this message on lithium battery use. The DGCA has asked airport operators to run clear warnings and videos about lithium battery fire risks at terminal entries, check-in counters, security lines, and boarding gates. Airports have been advised to work with airlines to explain safe handling of power banks, including avoiding last-minute charging at crowded gate areas.

Global incidents driving lithium battery safety rules

The aviation regulator said these measures follow a global rise in safety events suspected to involve lithium batteries on aircraft. Several foreign regulators and airlines, including Emirates and Singapore Airlines, have already introduced similar limits after incidents reported last year. With more people flying and carrying multiple gadgets, the DGCA believes only strict checks and awareness can keep cabin fires under control.

Investigators in the Air Busan case said the fire may have started from a fault inside the power bank battery’s insulation. In India, the IndiGo incident during taxiing at Delhi highlighted how close such events can come to passengers. Both cases reinforced regulators’ concerns that even one faulty cell can threaten an entire aircraft cabin.

Government view on lithium battery safety regulation

Union Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu backed the DGCA’s stricter stance and linked it with global practice. "Whenever the DGCA issues guidelines or rules, it keeps the safety of the people and the aircraft in mind. Whatever it does, it does thorough research and thorough consultation, and most of it comes from the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which is consulting with stakeholders across the world," Union Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said.

Naidu stressed that India must stay aligned with international safety benchmarks on lithium battery handling. "So once they decide on a certain rule or regulation, it is important for us also to follow it so that we maintain that safety, and it is in that regard we are doing it," he added. The minister’s comments signal that similar future updates may also mirror global aviation standards.

The new advisory makes clear that safe lithium battery use in Indian aviation depends on three linked actions. Airlines must enforce cabin checks and crew training, airports need visible warnings, and passengers have to follow rules on storage and reporting. With power banks now restricted to specific in-cabin locations and banned from charging in-flight, the regulator aims to reduce fire risk without banning personal devices.