Jetting off soon for summer travels? If you’re planning on bringing an extra battery charger for your phone or other devices, be aware of the latest rules when taking one on a flight. Rechargeable lithium-ion portable battery chargers, also known as power banks, come in protective enclosures of various shapes and sizes. They’re a handy and popular way for getting more juice when you’re on the move.But after a spate of smoke or fire incidents, U.S. and international aviation authorities have issued new guidelines and airlines have tightened up rules for passengers. Here’s a guide on flying with power banks.
The rules around power banks on planes The most important thing to know is that you can’t pack lithium battery chargers in your checked luggage. They need to go in your carry-on luggage. Travelers can generally bring two lithium ion power banks with a capacity of 100 watt hours without needing airline approval. That’s more than enough to charge a cellphone several times over.For non-rechargeable lithium metal batteries, the limit is two grams of lithium per battery. AA and AAA batteries typically contain less than a gram of lithium.
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Those limits cover nearly all types of lithium batteries in an average person’s electronic devices, according to the the Federal Aviation Authority.The FAA says newer lithium ion batteries should have a label with the watt hour, or Wh, rating. But if your power bank’s energy capacity is listed in milliampere hours, or mAH, you’ll need to do some math, or use the FAA’s online calculator.
