Vietnam tightens power‑bank rules for air travel starting July 1

From 1 July, Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Authority imposed stricter rules on carrying power banks on aircraft. Each passenger may bring up to two units, which must remain in hand luggage. Lithium‑metal batteries may contain no more than 2 g of lithium, while lithium‑ion packs must not exceed 100 Wh; those between 100 Wh and 160 Wh are allowed only with prior airline approval.

The use of power banks is prohibited during the flight, and they must not be used to charge phones, tablets or other devices. Passengers must keep the batteries visible and cannot store them in checked baggage. The measures follow ICAO and IATA safety standards and echo similar bans already enforced by Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet to reduce the fire risk posed by lithium‑ion cells.

The regulation aims to prevent overheating and possible fires in the cabin, a concern heightened by recent incidents involving lithium‑ion batteries worldwide.