Playing on your phone, laptop or tablet is a solid option, but that requires electricity. And most planes don’t provide charging points for each passenger. Which is why a power bank is a great solution
Airlines often have strict rules when it comes to the use of power banks on flights.
Despite being terrible for the environment, flying is having yet another bumper year. The number of UK flights is expected to hit two million this year, up considerably from the 1,931,000 of 2023. Each day in June this year averaged almost 8,000 flights per day, according to NATS.
As more and more people spend more time on often cramped, uncomfortable planes, the topic of how to distract yourself for the duration is an increasingly relevant one. It comes after holidaymakers begin to abandon Marbella.
READ MORE: Holidaymakers abandon Marbella as waiters left ‘with heads in their hands’READ MORE: British passport holders urged to do one important thing before October 12
Playing on your phone, laptop or tablet is a solid option, but that requires electricity. And most planes don’t provide charging points for each passenger. Which is why a power bank is a great solution.
While airlines do have different policies, the legal position on power banks is clear. The UK’s airline regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), has not banned them in flight cabins, but says they should never be packed into hold luggage.
Different airlines have different rules about whether you can bring, bring but not use, and bring but not charge power banks. Here is what the different airlines say:
Airlines that allow you to use portable chargers on board
British Airways, easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair all allow passengers to bring power banks into the cabin with them and to use them. Southwest Airlines, which is one of the biggest in the US, lets passengers use their power banks, but they must be kept in clear sight when they’re charging.
Airlines that allow you to bring portable chargers on board, but not use them
Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways all allow passengers to bring power bank into the cabin, but use of them is strictly forbidden.
This week Emirates announced that it will prohibit passengers from charging these devices or using in‑seat power to recharge them during flights from October 1. From then, travellers will be allowed to carry only one power bank each, which must be stowed in the seat pocket or under the seat in front. Overhead bins are off‑limits for these devices, and they cannot exceed 100 Watt Hours.
The decision comes after a “comprehensive safety review” following worries about lithium‑ion batteries, which power most portable chargers, overheating and catching fire.
Qantas does not have a strict ban on use, but it does “recommend” against “the use of or charging of power banks onboard due to safety”. So if you do decide to use one, you may find yourself being scalded by a member of staff.
Airlines that allow you to use portable chargers to power devices but not charge them
Virgin Atlantic finds itself in a category of one with this slightly confusing rule. Essentially, power banks can be used and plugged into to a device so long as you’re using that device.