Lithium battery fire risk prompts new airline rules across Europe
A surge in lithium battery incidents in aircraft holds is forcing European airlines to tighten carry-on rules, threatening summer flight schedules with costly diversions.
Aviation authorities and European carriers are imposing strict new limits on power banks and lithium-ion devices in checked luggage after fire-related incidents more than doubled in a single year. The British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) now ranks lithium battery fires as the top safety risk to aircraft, warning that a malfunction in the cargo hold can spread rapidly and is far harder to control than in the cabin.
The scale of the problem is escalating fast. In the UK, authorities detected 316 lithium battery devices in hold bags in 2024, a figure that surged to 643 in 2025. The CAA noted that on average, a passenger now boards a flight with four separate lithium-powered devices, resulting in roughly two battery-related incidents every week.
For airlines operating tight turnarounds this summer, these incidents carry a direct economic toll. Locating and removing overheating bags from the cargo hold frequently causes flight delays. In severe cases, the risk forces diversions, such as an easyJet flight from Hurghada to London that was rerouted to Rome in May after a passenger reported a portable charger in the hold.
European operators are responding with sweeping policy changes. In January, the Lufthansa Group restricted the number of power banks allowed per passenger and banned their use during flights, requiring them to be stored under seats, in seat pockets, or on a passenger's person. Qantas, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines have also banned the in-flight charging of power banks.
The regulatory shift follows a March recommendation from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to limit passengers to two power banks and prohibit charging them onboard. The CAA has adopted this guidance, though it suspects most travellers remain unaware of the rules. Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK, framed the issue as an operational imperative. "Whilst pilots and cabin crew are trained to deal with any situation the best outcome is always prevention, which starts when passengers pack their bags," he said.
Travellers are also being reminded that laptops placed in checked luggage must be switched off completely. Türkiye became the latest country to adopt the tightened ICAO standards in April, signalling a broad alignment toward stricter battery enforcement during the peak holiday travel period.
