Will Power Banks Be Banned On Indian Flights? Stricter Rules Being Discussed

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is considering a potential nationwide ban or stricter regulations on the use of power banks aboard aircraft, following a recent in-flight fire incident aboard an IndiGo flight in Delhi this week.

The move comes amid growing safety concerns over lithium battery-powered devices after a passenger's power bank reportedly caught fire while an IndiGo flight to Dimapur was taxiing for departure from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday. No one was injured, and the fire was quickly extinguished by the cabin crew.

The DGCA has initiated a comprehensive review of how power banks are handled on flights, both by passengers and airlines. The review could lead to a ban on in-flight use, mandatory restrictions on power capacity, or even prohibiting carriage altogether if risks cannot be effectively mitigated.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has also been briefed, and both agencies are now working closely to determine new safety measures.

IndiGo Airlines  confirmed that flight 6E 2107, operating from Delhi to Dimapur in Nagaland, returned to the bay shortly after taxiing due to "a minor fire triggered by a passenger's personal electronic equipment stored in the seat-back pocket."

"The crew managed the situation quickly by diligently following standard operating procedures, and the incident was controlled within seconds," the airline said in a statement.

All passengers and crew were safe, and the fire did not cause any damage to the aircraft, which was later cleared for normal operations after safety inspections.

Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24.com showed that the Airbus A320neo eventually departed Delhi at 14:33 hours and landed safely in Dimapur at 16:45 hours.

In early October, Emirates Airlines banned the use of power banks on all its flights. Passengers are now only permitted to carry power banks rated below 100 watt-hours, and are strictly prohibited from charging them or using them to power mobile devices on board.

Similarly, Singapore Airlines implemented a policy in April, forbidding any use or charging of power banks mid-flight. Many other carriers, including Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways, have also restricted where passengers can store power banks.

Power banks contain lithium-ion cells - compact, high-energy batteries that can store significant electrical charge. However, cheaper models, often sold without certification or quality testing, lack built-in safeguards such as short-circuit protection or temperature regulation.