‘Deadly threat’: Crucial packing mistake millions of travellers are still making
Millions of passengers are incorrectly packing power banks and batteries into their checked luggage, potentially causing a “deadly threat” on flights.
The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has launched a new campaign to warn travellers of the risk of improperly packed lithium batteries, which it said could “result in a fire that may be impossible to contain”.
Airlines have been increasingly restricting power bank use on flights. iStock
“Power banks and vapes must be taken with you into the cabin,” the CAA said in a post on X.
“Packing them incorrectly risks delays, or worse, an in-flight fire.”
It comes as new data revealed the scale of the risk, with lithium battery incidents now occurring around twice a week.
More than 100 million batteries have been incorrectly packed by passengers, which poses a “potentially deadly threat”, according to the CAA.
Those numbers are based on the average number of devices carried being four, as well as the number of passengers travelling, and the number of people who don’t know the rules.
Airlines have been progressively limiting allowances for personal charging devices on planes.
American Airlines became the latest major carrier to introduce stricter rules around power banks in May 2026.
CAA campaign says 100 million batteries have been packed incorrectly. X/CAA
Travellers are now restricted to a maximum of two devices and required to keep their travel device in plain sight when it is being used.
Other airlines have banned the use of power banks for charging while on board completely.
If passengers fail to follow these rules, the aviation regulator warns their bags could be removed from their flight, or “even worse, result in a fire that may be impossible to contain”.
CAA figures show reports of overheating or malfunctioning passenger devices nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025.
But despite the rise in incidents, passenger awareness of the risk remains low.
Over a third (36 per cent) of travellers are unaware of the dangers of packing batteries in checked baggage.
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