Passengers on Southwest Airlines flights will soon be required to keep their portable chargers clearly visible while using them. This new policy comes amid growing concerns about the rising number of lithium-ion battery fires and may be adopted by other airlines.
Southwest announced that the new rule will take effect on May 28. The airline noted that some passengers may have already seen notifications about the policy through the airline’s app. Although Southwest is the first major U.S. airline to introduce such a restriction, several airlines in Asia implemented similar measures earlier this year after a serious fire broke out on an Air Busan plane in South Korea in January.
Concerns over lithium-ion battery fires on aircraft are increasing as the number of incidents rises each year and these batteries are commonly used in many personal devices. So far in 2024, there have been 19 reported incidents involving lithium batteries. This follows a record high of 89 incidents in 2023, according to statistics from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The number of battery-related incidents has more than doubled since 2020, which saw only 39 incidents. The total has climbed steadily every year since then.
Some studies suggest that portable chargers may be the second most common cause of battery fires on planes, just behind electronic cigarettes.
While the number of incidents is still small compared to the approximately 180,000 flights operated by U.S. airlines each week, the issue is becoming more serious in the aviation industry.
“It is definitely a serious risk,” said David Wroth, a risk expert at UL Standards & Engagement who collaborates with 37 airlines and battery manufacturers to help reduce battery hazards. He noted that some airlines are currently reassessing the dangers linked to rechargeable batteries, which may lead to further policy changes.
During the January fire on the Korean airline, all 176 people on board had to evacuate because the fire burned through the plane’s roof. Although the exact cause of the fire has not been confirmed, Korean authorities and several airlines responded by tightening regulations on portable chargers.
Airlines in Korea no longer allow chargers to be placed in overhead compartments. Instead, they must be stored in plastic bags or have their ports covered with insulating tape to prevent contact with metal surfaces.
Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways have gone further by banning the use or charging of portable power banks entirely during flights.
In another incident last summer, a smoking laptop inside a passenger’s bag caused the evacuation of a plane preparing for takeoff at San Francisco International Airport. In a separate 2023 case, a flight from Dallas to Orlando had to make an emergency landing in Jacksonville, Florida, when a battery ignited inside an overhead compartment.
Southwest explained that keeping chargers visible during use will help because “in the rare event a lithium battery overheats or catches fire, quick access is critical and keeping power banks in plain sight allows for faster intervention and helps protect everyone onboard.”
Experts have long recommended keeping rechargeable devices within reach during flights to monitor for warning signs such as overheating, bulging, or smoking. However, airlines depend on passengers to be aware of the risks and act responsibly.
“Ultimately, it comes down to a lot of personal responsibility that we as passengers have to take,” Wroth said.
Southwest will still allow chargers to be stored inside carry on bags when not in use. A spokeswoman for the airline said Southwest is simply informing customers about the rule before they travel and requesting their cooperation. Wroth agreed that this approach is sensible.
“We already have enough issues with unruly passengers. Confronting someone over what they brought on board is not likely to end well either,” he said.
The Transportation Security Administration has long banned e cigarettes and lithium battery power banks from checked luggage but does permit them in carry on bags. This rule exists because fires in the cargo hold are harder to detect and extinguish.
The FAA advises passengers to keep devices like phones nearby during flights so they can access them quickly if needed. Flight crews are trained to handle lithium battery fires. If a battery or device begins to overheat, swell, smoke, or catch fire, passengers should alert the crew immediately.
Recent research from UL Standards & Engagement indicates that portable chargers were responsible for 19 percent of battery incidents so far this year. This was only slightly more than incidents caused by cell phones. E cigarettes accounted for 28 percent of all issues.
Last year, nearly one third of airline passengers carried portable chargers on board. More than one quarter admitted in surveys to putting e cigarettes and chargers in checked baggage, which violates federal regulations. Wroth believes many passengers may not be aware of the risks rather than deliberately breaking rules.
UL Standards & Engagement, part of a safety science organization formerly known as Underwriters Laboratories, based its findings on data from 37 passenger and cargo airlines, including nine of the ten largest U.S. carriers. The group is preparing to release its full 2024 report soon.
Southwest Airlines To Require Portable Chargers To Be Visible During Use Due to Fire Risk
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