FAA Tells Airlines to Boost Lithium Battery Fire Warnings

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration’s latest Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) is sending a clear signal to frequent flyers: keep a closer eye on the lithium batteries powering phones, laptops and power banks in the cabin. While the alert does not impose new rules, it calls on airlines to sharpen the safety messages passengers receive before boarding and during flight—guidance that directly affects how travelers pack and protect their personal electronics.

FAA Warning: The Exact Language Matters

According to the SAFO issued Tuesday, “Lithium batteries (including power banks and portable chargers) can act as ignition sources and potentially start onboard fires,” the alert says, noting batteries stored in passenger overhead bins may be difficult to access. The agency already requires that spare lithium-ion batteries—such as external power banks—ride in carry-on baggage, not in checked luggage. However, devices with integrated batteries, including laptops and tablets, are still allowed in the cargo hold as long as they are switched completely off.

Rather than rewriting those existing rules, the FAA is urging carriers to “review passenger safety messaging” and “consider” the alert when “developing or reviewing their programs, policies, and procedures.” For travelers, that translates into the likelihood of hearing more forceful pre-flight announcements, noticing brighter signage at the gate and encountering refreshed guidance on airline apps about where and how to stow everyday gadgets.

Four Devices Per Passenger—and Rising

An industry survey underscores why regulators are sounding louder alarms. The average passenger brings four devices on a flight—including smartphones (81%), laptops (40%), wireless headphones (38%) and tablets (35%), according to a 2024 survey of over 12,000 adults by UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE), a nonprofit organization that develops and advocates for safety standards in various sectors, including the airline industry.

Those device counts translate into tens of thousands of lithium-ion cells cruising above the clouds on a single long-haul flight. According to FAA data, 39% of lithium-battery incidents on aircraft reported since 2006 involved portable chargers, while vape pens—often tucked into pockets and bags—were responsible for 21% of incidents.

High-Profile Flames: Recent Incidents in the Cabin

Travelers have seen a spate of smoky headlines this year. In August, the cabin of a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines plane filled with smoke after a portable phone charger caught fire mid-flight between São Paulo, Brazil, and Amsterdam. The previous month, a personal device caused a fire on a Delta flight, leading to an emergency landing in Fort Myers, Florida. Also in July, a fire broke out in the overhead bin of a Virgin Australia flight and filled the cabin with smoke.

U.S. flyers may recall May, when a Southwest flight diverted to the nearest airport after a passenger’s portable charger began smoking mid-flight. Back in April, a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to Tokyo declared an emergency when a passenger’s cell phone became lodged in a seat and began emitting an “electrical smell.” Overseas, February delivered a major scare: a fire destroyed a South Korean budget carrier Air Busan plane, prompting the airline to prohibit carry-on luggage containing portable chargers from being stored in overhead bins.

Industry Voices: Flight Attendants and Safety Execs Weigh In

Crew members, who must manage cabin fires in real time, have long pressed for change. “There's too little public awareness of the threat,” Taylor Garland, spokesperson for the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), said in an email, adding that fireproofing systems in the baggage hold “are not designed to stop a lithium battery fire” so it is important that lithium battery-powered devices “are in the cabin within arm's reach of their owner.”

The union represents nearly 55,000 flight attendants at 20 carriers and routinely shares lithium battery concerns with regulators. A review by Forbes of NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) found 22 anonymous safety reports concerning lithium batteries were filed by baggage handlers, flight attendants and pilots between January and May 2025.

In the corporate suite, some airlines are getting ahead of regulators. “This is what proactive safety looks like,” Dave Hunt, vice president of safety and security at Southwest Airlines, told Forbes. “We're not waiting for a regulator or an outside entity to tell us what to do. We felt there was enough evidence for us to make what are fairly modest changes.” Southwest became the first U.S. carrier to require passengers to charge devices in plain sight rather than inside a bag, a policy introduced in May. To date, no other major U.S. airline has followed suit, though nearly a dozen carriers—mainly in Asia—have banned or restricted in-flight use of portable chargers.

FAA PackSafe: What the Rulebook Really Says

The FAA’s PackSafe webpage makes a distinction travelers often overlook. Spare lithium-ion batteries, including power banks and charging cases, “must be carried in carry-on baggage only.” For many battery-powered devices, the language is softer: passengers “should” pack them in hand luggage but are permitted to check them if the devices are “completely powered off and protected to prevent unintentional activation or damage,” adding, “most consumer personal electronic devices containing batteries are allowed in carry-on and checked baggage.”

That nuance can be confusing at 5 a.m. in a security line. The new SAFO suggests airlines reiterate that nuance early and often so passengers are not forced to make gate-side swaps of batteries and devices under pressure.

What Travelers Should Know

• Keep power banks in your carry-on. It is not just a recommendation—FAA rules prohibit them in checked bags.
• Power down laptops and tablets before placing them in the hold. Devices must be totally off, not in sleep mode, if you choose to check them.
• Store gadgets where you can reach them. Fires are harder to manage when a device is buried in an overhead bin or under multiple bags.
• Watch temperature swings. Avoid leaving devices in hot cars or direct sunlight at the gate; overheated batteries are more likely to enter thermal runaway.
• Listen to crew instructions. Expect clearer, perhaps stricter, announcements about battery safety in the months ahead.

Tips for Travelers: Packing Smarter, Flying Safer

Packing cubes and cable organizers can help you keep chargers separate from sharp objects that might puncture cells. If you travel with multiple power banks, label each with its watt-hour rating—airlines may ask for that specification. Consider investing in a fire-resistant pouch designed for lithium-ion batteries; several models on the market weigh less than four ounces and can buy precious minutes in an emergency.

Finally, stay informed. Bookmark the FAA’s PackSafe webpage before your next trip. Airlines often update their own battery policies ahead of regulatory changes, and international carriers may have more restrictive rules than U.S. airlines. A 30-second policy check can save a gate-check shuffle—or worse, a mid-air scare.

Looking Ahead: Could Mandates Follow?

For now, the FAA has stopped short of new regulations, choosing instead to rely on industry cooperation. Yet the growing number of cabin fires and near-misses is putting pressure on lawmakers and regulators to act. Should a high-profile incident occur on a U.S. carrier, compulsory checks or bans on certain batteries could follow quickly. Travelers who adopt best practices now will be better prepared if rules tighten later.

Until then, heed the alert, keep your power banks within reach, and remember: your next safety announcement could include a new line about lithium batteries, courtesy of this week’s FAA warning.

— Source: Forbes story surfaced on EIN Presswire