Emirates prohibits power banks on flights: Implications for travelers

Emirates, the national airline of the UAE, has introduced a new safety regulation banning power banks on its flights, starting Wednesday, October 1, 2025. According to the new regulation, passengers are allowed to bring one power bank with a capacity of less than 100 watt-hours in their cabin baggage, provided that it is not used during the flight. This implies that travellers are unable to charge their electronic devices, like smartphones and tablets, with power banks, nor can they recharge the power banks using the in-seat power supply on the aircraft.“Following an extensive safety evaluation, Emirates is adopting a strong and preemptive approach to reduce risk regarding power banks onboard. “The number of clients utilizing power banks has grown considerably in the past few years, leading to a rise in incidents involving lithium batteries on flights throughout the aviation sector,” the airlines stated.Emirates stated that all accepted power banks must have clear capacity ratings displayed and should be stored exclusively in the seat pocket or under the seat in front of you, not in overhead compartments.

The airline noted that although its planes have in-seat charging ports, passengers should ensure their devices are fully charged prior to flying, particularly on long-haul flights.Power banks are compact, cuboid-shaped plugs designed to charge small devices like smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets. These days, most individuals carry power banks for the reassurance they provide when a device's battery dies, particularly while on the go. Although they are mainly intended for charging smaller devices, certain models can also supply power to more demanding equipment like laptops and large portable speakers. However, as they usually rely on lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries, they can present fire risks if compromised or subjected to overcharging.