UK CAA warns travelers of fire risk from power banks on flights

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has reminded passengers that power banks and other devices containing lithium‑ion batteries must be carried in the cabin, not in hold luggage, and that no more than two per person are allowed. They may not be used to charge other devices while airborne. The warning follows several incidents where power banks have overheated, causing fires or explosions, including a mid‑air fire on a South Korea‑Hong Kong flight in January 2026, a 75‑year‑old woman’s death in the United States in May 2026, and a car‑explosion in Queensland, Australia, the same year. Earlier cases include a 2017 UK home fire and numerous FAA‑recorded battery incidents. The CAA notes that poor design, manufacturing defects, extreme heat and counterfeit products from China increase the risk of thermal runaway, a rapid, uncontrolled rise in temperature that can cause an explosion. Travelers are advised to charge power banks on non‑flammable surfaces, keep them out of hot environments, buy from reputable manufacturers and follow the cabin‑carry rules.