Power Banks Can No More Be Used On Flights. Check New Aviation Safety Rules

India has rolled out stricter in-flight safety norms over the use of power banks and other lithium battery-powered devices. The aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has now disallowed the use of power banks for charging phones or other gadgets during flights, including through aircraft seat power outlets, after a series of incidents worldwide involving lithium batteries overheating or catching fire.

The DGCA, in a 'Dangerous Goods Advisory Circular' issued in November, said that power banks and spare batteries will be allowed only in hand luggage and cannot be stored in overhead compartments, as fires in such locations are harder to detect and control.

Why Are Lithium Batteries A Safety Concern?

Lithium battery fires are particularly dangerous because they are highly energetic and can sometimes be self-sustaining, making them difficult to control.

"The widespread usage of lithium batteries in various rechargeable devices has led to an increase in carriage of lithium batteries by air. Power banks, portable chargers, and similar devices containing lithium batteries can act as ignition sources and potentially initiate on-board fires," the circular said.

The regulator also warned that where these batteries are stored inside the aircraft can worsen the risk. "Lithium batteries placed in overhead stowage bins or within carry-on baggage may be obscured, difficult to access, or not readily monitored by passengers or crew members. This may result in delayed detection of smoke or fire and response actions, increasing the potential hazard to flight safety," it added.

The DGCA said lithium battery fires are extremely intense and can even cause personal electronic devices to explode. "A lithium battery fire can be started by uncontrolled heating, overcharging, crushing or internal short circuit triggered by poor manufacturing quality, aged batteries, or damage due to mishandling. Unlike other fires, lithium battery fires may be self-sustaining and require special methods to handle," the advisory noted.

Airlines Told To Strengthen Safety Checks And Crew Training

In the advisory, the DGCA has directed airlines to review their existing safety risk assessments related to lithium batteries carried by passengers. Airlines have been asked to adopt stronger measures to prevent battery-related fires in aircraft cabins and to ensure early detection and effective firefighting in case of an incident.

The regulator has also stressed the need for better crew training. Cabin crew must be able to recognise early warning signs such as overheating, smoke or flames from electronic devices, use the correct firefighting equipment and understand the risks of smoke inhalation. Airlines have been asked to ensure that firefighting equipment and protective gear on board are adequate and readily accessible.

Mandatory Onboard Announcements For Passengers

A key part of the DGCA's advisory focuses on passenger awareness. Airlines have been directed to inform passengers about the new safety rules through inflight announcements, with the regulator stressing the need for quick reporting and response.

Passengers must "immediately inform the cabin crew if any device emits heat, smoke or an unusual odour", the rules state, while airlines have been told to "promptly report all safety issues and occurrences related to lithium battery incidents to DGCA".

Airports Asked To Display Safety Warnings

Airport operators have also been directed to play a role in spreading awareness. The DGCA has asked airports to display clear safety messages and videos on lithium battery fire risks at terminal entrances, check-in counters, security checkpoints, and boarding gates.

Airports have been advised to work with airlines and other stakeholders to educate passengers on the safe handling of power banks and battery-powered devices, including discouraging the charging of such devices just before boarding.

Rise In Incidents Prompts Advisory

The DGCA said the advisory was issued after a rise in safety occurrences worldwide where lithium batteries carried onboard aircraft were suspected to be the cause.

With air travel increasing and electronic devices becoming more common, the regulator underlined that preventing battery-related fires requires stricter checks by airlines, better-trained crew, and informed passengers.

"Whenever the DGCA issues guidelines or rules, it keeps the safety of the people and the aircraft in mind. Whatever it does, it does thorough research and thorough consultation, and most of it comes from the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which is consulting with stakeholders across the world," Union Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said.

"So once they decide on a certain rule or regulation, it is important for us also to follow it so that we maintain that safety, and it is in that regard we are doing it," he added.

Similar curbs have been introduced earlier by several international airlines and countries, including Emirates and Singapore Airlines, following lithium battery-related incidents reported last year.

In October last year, a passenger's power bank reportedly caught fire on board a Dimapur-bound IndiGo plane while taxiing at the Delhi airport. No injuries were reported in the incident, and all passengers and crew on board were safe.

In January, an Air Busan plane caught fire at South Korea's Gimhae International Airport, with the investigation revealing that the blaze may have been sparked by a power bank, specifically a breakdown in the insulation inside the battery.