Many people ask me why power banks in flight are not allowed? First of all, it is important to understand that power banks come in different sizes. Most airlines have restrictions on the size of batteries that can be carried onboard an airplane.
Power banks in flight
For example, American Airlines states that passengers are allowed to bring a battery that is up to 100 watt-hours. This means that the largest power bank you can bring on an American Airlines flight is 16,100 mAh.
If your power bank is larger than this, you will need to check it with your luggage. Power banks are allowed on planes. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when picking one in your carry-on or checked baggage.
First, check with your airline to see if there are any restrictions on the size or type of power bank you can bring on board. Some airlines have the size and weight restrictions, while others prohibit lithium-ion batteries from being carried in checked baggage.
The battery pack must be lithium-ion and have a watt-hour rating of 100-watt-hours or less.
According to Transportation Security Administration, Portable chargers or power banks that contain a lithium-ion battery must be transported in carry-on luggage.
Airlines links
Below are some airlines links with different rules this will help you to decide which mah power bank to carry.
https://www.airindia.in/Images/pdf/Da…
https://www.airvistara.com/in/en/vist…
https://support.airasia.com/s/article…
https://www.goindigo.in/information/c…
Power banks are not permitted in checked luggage for what reason?
If you’ve observed, power banks are not permitted in checked luggage. Only carry-on luggage is permitted for these items. This guideline was put in place for the sake of safety, despite the fact that it may seem counterintuitive at first.
It is possible for power banks to malfunction, resulting in fires or even explosions, because they are essentially Li-ion batteries. It is exceedingly risky to have a fire in the plane’s storage room during a flight because it is practically unreachable.
Crew members can quickly extinguish cabin fires with fire extinguishers, making them easier to control. It’s for this reason that power banks are not permitted in checked baggage.
To put it simply, it’s all about the safety of flying. Why, therefore, are portable power sources deemed dangerous?
Lithium cells are used in the majority of power banks. Lithium cells can overheat and reach temperatures in excess of 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit in some circumstances.
A fire or perhaps an explosion can occur at those temperatures. Power banks are banned from checking luggage on planes for this very reason.
The plane’s cargo holds luggage that has been checked in. If a fire breaks out in the cargo hold, it may be too late to put it out. This could result in a catastrophe.
You would imagine that a power bank catching fire causing a flight disaster is an extremely rare occurrence. However, it has happened before. A big container of Lithium batteries was later found to be the primary source of the blaze.
The existing restrictions on power banks during air travel may have been prompted by this incident.
How to find your power bank capacity?
First method
Power bank capacity is mentioned on the power bank body and box itself. I purchased Mi 20000 mah 18 watts 3.7-volt power bank you will get the idea after seeing the image above this paragraph.
Second method
Charge your power bank fully and discharge your phone completely. Now charge your phone fully using your power bank and discharge your phone battery again, do it until your power bank power battery is empty.
Suppose your phone capacity is 4000 mah and it charges 4 times than your power bank capacity is 16,000 mah.
4000*4= 16,000 mah
How to calculate your power bank capacity
If your power bank capacity is 20000 mah 3.7 volt. Divide 20000 by 1000 and multiply by 3.7 you will get 74watts hours which is below 100 watts hours and it is safe to carry on a flight.
5 tips to remember while carrying a power bank on a flight
- For personal use, a power bank must be on hand.
- Hand baggage or carrying about a power bank is the only way to keep it safe. Batteries for portable devices are not permitted in checked luggage.
- In general, power banks with ratings of 100 watts or less can be transported without prior approval; those with ratings ranging from 100 watts to 160 watts require prior consent from the airline. However, there is a two-power bank limit per passenger.
- Power banks with more than 160 watts of rated power are not authorized to be carried, nor are power banks with rated power that cannot be worked out using the marked specifications.
- Power banks are not permitted to be used by passengers during the flight. During the flight, all power banks must be turned “Off.”
Conclusion
Our digital lives have virtually become dependent on power banks. As a result, be cautious not to misplace yours when flying. As far as I can tell, the rules aren’t extremely strict.
Even so, you should use caution when packing your belongings and avoid checking them in with your checked luggage. A lot of people think they can get away with it.
Checked luggage is no longer scanned in front of the passenger as it was in the past. However, they are scanned at several points during the process.
The security officials can open your checked luggage and seize a power bank if it is found there.
When shopping for a power bank, keep in mind the limitations set by airlines as well as other factors like quality, performance, efficiency, and so on. Traveling by plane isn’t the best time to lose your power bank.
