Emirates has officially enforced its safety regulations regarding the use of power banks by passengers on board flights, the UAE carrier confirmed on Tuesday.

“Using any kind of power bank is prohibited onboard Emirates’ flights, effective from tomorrow, October 1, 2025,” it said in a statement.

“Emirates provides in-seat charging on all aircraft; however, it still recommends that customers fully charge their devices before flying, especially on longer duration flights.”

The airline stated that the rule is now in effect across its entire fleet, following a safety review that identified risks associated with lithium battery incidents in aviation.

Why is Emirates making this change?

Emirates emphasised that although its aircraft are equipped with in-seat charging ports, passengers are advised to fully charge their devices before boarding, particularly for long-haul flights.

The airline explained that the increased use of portable chargers has paralleled a rise in lithium battery-related incidents across the aviation sector.

Power banks, which usually contain lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries, can become fire hazards if damaged or overcharged.

If a battery is overcharged or damaged, it can experience thermal runaway—a self-accelerating reaction in which heat builds faster than it can dissipate, causing a rapid and uncontrollable temperature rise.

According to the airline, thermal runaway occurs when a battery generates heat faster than it can release, causing a rapid and uncontrollable rise in temperature.

This can lead to fires, explosions, and the release of toxic gases.

While most smartphones and advanced lithium battery devices include internal systems that slowly charge the battery to prevent overcharging, many basic power banks lack this protection, increasing the risk.

Under Emirates’ new rules, all power banks are now strictly regulated onboard.

What does the new rule mean for passengers?

• Each passenger may carry one power bank under 100 Watt-Hours.
• Emirates customers may carry one power bank that is under 100 Watt Hours.
• Power banks may not be used to charge any personal devices onboard.
• Charging a power bank using the aircraft’s power supply is not permitted.
• All power banks accepted for transport must have capacity rating information available.
• Power banks may not be placed in the overhead stowage bin onboard the aircraft and must now be placed in the seat pocket or in a bag under the seat in front of you.
• Power banks are not permitted in checked luggage (existing rule).

These measures, Emirates said, are aimed at reducing risks by limiting power bank use during flights, while storing them in accessible cabin locations allows trained crew to respond quickly and safely in the rare event of a fire.

Emirates stressed that passenger safety continues to be its highest operational priority.