Cathay Pacific bans the use of powerbanks on board: here are the new rules

Starting today, April 7, 2025, Cathay Pacific is introducing new and stricter restrictions regarding the use and transportation of powerbanks with lithium batteries on all flights. The Hong Kong-based company thus joins a growing number of carriersincluding recently Thai Airways, which are taking strict measures to minimize the risks associated with these devices.

What changes for passengers

According to regulations issued in accordance with Hong Kong law, it will be prohibited:

• Charge powerbanks through the electrical outlets in the seats.
• Use powerbanks to power or recharge personal electronic devices during flight.

Also, powerbanks:

• They can never be checked in checked baggage.
• They will not be able to be stored in hat boxes.
• They should remain in the carry-on luggage, placed under the seat in front of the passenger.
• Passengers will still be able to continue to use the built-in power outlets in the seats, available on the entire Cathay Pacific fleet, to charge their devices.

A growing trend among airlines

Cathay Pacific is not the only company to have taken similar steps. Thai Airways recently updated its policy, banning both the use and charging of powerbanks on board. The growing fear is related to the risk that these devices, often of dubious quality or worn out, may overheat or catch fire in flight, causing potentially dangerous emergencies.

Many airlines, including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and Qatar Airways, already impose limits on the capacity of lithium-ion batteries (usually 100Wh), and prohibit carrying them in checked baggage. Some carriers such as Emirates and Qantas are revising policies to include stricter controls on devices carried on board as well.

Safety First

Lithium batteries are responsible for most of the On-board fires caused by electronic devices. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, More than 400 episodes of "thermal runaway" have been reported in recent years, i.e., uncontrolled overheating of batteries, on board aircraft or during boarding.

The new restrictions aim to minimize this risk by forcing passengers to maintain visual control of powerbanks throughout the flight. This allows, in the event of an emergency, timely crew intervention.

What travelers should do

To avoid problems at the airport or on board, passengers are asked to:

• Check the size and capacity of your powerbanks (expressed in Wh).
• Always store them in carry-on luggage, never in suitcases to be checked in.
• Do not use them in flight, either to power devices or to be recharged.
• Instead, use the power outlets available on board.

In conclusion

Of course if you fly Scoot, that forces passengers to fly without IFE and pay for power outlet, you have a major inconvenience, but in all other cases, carriers provide traditional USB and C outlets, in addition to traditional power outlets, So there is no risk of running out of water.