Southwest Airlines Says You Can’t Use Portable Chargers Inside Your Bags

Southwest Airlines is executing a new safety policy, environment friendly May 28, calling for vacationers to keep up cell phone battery chargers and energy monetary establishments noticeable all through journeys while you’re billing a gadget. The airline firm will definitely limit making use of those devices whereas they’re saved in carry-on luggage or above containers, intending to attenuate the hazard of lithium-ion battery fires.

This plan modification might be present in motion to a group of occurrences together with overheating lithium-ion batteries. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there have truly been 22 battery-related occurrences on journeys in 2025 alone, adhering to a doc 89 such events in 2024. Notably, a fireplace aboard an Air Busan journey in South Korea in January– thought to have truly been caused by an influence monetary establishment with worn-out insulation– introduced concerning the evacuation of 176 people, consisting of vacationers and workers.

Read additional: The Best Way to Pack Your Carry-On Bag to Breeze Through TSA Lines

While the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration presently allow lithium-powered devices, like e-cigarettes and energy monetary establishments, in carry-on baggage but limit them in inspected luggage, they don’t mandate that cell battery chargers be maintained in unusual view. Southwest’s brand-new plan goes an motion much more, straightening with strategies at present embraced by some Asia- based mostly suppliers, consisting of Singapore Airlines, AirAsia and all South Korean airline corporations, according to Reuters

This relocation by Southwest Airlines exhibits an increasing drawback within the aeronautics sector referring to the risk-free transportation and use lithium-ion batteries on airplane. Passengers are urged to stay notified regarding airline firm plans and to take care of digital devices with like assure a safe touring expertise.

“Southwest will introduce a first-in-industry safety policy on May 28 requiring customers to keep portable charging devices visible while in use during flight,” Southwest Airlines verified in a declaration to CNET via e-mail. “Using portable charging devices while stored in a bag or overhead bin will no longer be permitted. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees.”

For additional travel-related write-ups, uncover these touring fundamentals you require for every journey and after that take a look at this touring record. You should likewise overview the brand-new Real ID want for surviving flight terminal safety.