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(KTLA) – In a move to enhance in-flight safety, Southwest Airlines has introduced restrictions on portable chargers and power banks to mitigate the risk of battery fires during flights.
Starting April 20, travelers will be restricted to carrying just one portable lithium charger in their carry-on luggage. These power banks cannot be stored in overhead bins but must be kept either in an under-seat bag or directly with the passenger, as outlined in an internal communication from Dave Hunt, Southwest’s vice president of safety and security.
The memo further specifies that passengers are not allowed to use in-seat power outlets to recharge their portable lithium batteries.
Despite these new restrictions, Southwest announced that by mid-next year, all its aircraft will be equipped with in-seat power outlets, potentially diminishing the necessity for passengers to bring personal chargers.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, last year witnessed nearly 100 incidents involving portable batteries that resulted in smoke, fire, or intense heat onboard aircraft.
Airlines like Lufthansa and countries including South Korea have already introduced restrictions on the use of power banks on flights, following incidents like a fire on an Air Busan plane in 2025.
Portable lithium power banks are currently not allowed in checked baggage, per FAA regulations. Southwest’s policy has also prohibited their use when not in plain sight, but the current policy is a little more lenient with the amount of power banks a traveler can bring on the plane (two), so long as all other requirements (proper packing, a limit on watt-hours) have been followed.
The new Southwest rule goes even further than the limit of two chargers per passenger that the International Civil Aviation Organization recommended last month. But the airline says it isn’t going to aggressively enforce the policy by searching bags and confiscating chargers. Instead, Hunt said the airline will inform travelers of the new policy when they book their flights and at the airport.
“Our approach reflects our Culture of Safety and Security in action: Proactively managing risk and caring for our Customers and People at every step,” Hunt wrote in the memo.
This change is one of several recent adjustments to Southwest Airlines’ policies.
The airline enacted a new assigned-seating policy in January, which replaced the carrier’s longstanding open-seating arrangement. The airline also plans to upgrade the majority of its aircrafts’ cabins with larger overhead bins, and will designate certain bins as reserved for use by those who purchased a more premium “Extra Legroom” option.
The airline encountered turbulence on social media for a change in policy impacting plus-size passengers, as well. Previously, plus-size passengers were not required to purchase a second seat in advance, though it was recommended. (Additional seats for larger customers are provided free of charge “if space is available on the flight,” according to Southwest.) Refunds could be obtained after travel. But under the new policy, customers must buy an extra seat and “pay any applicable seat fee” before boarding. Refunds can be obtained later, but only if: both seats were in the same fare class; the refund request is made within 90 days; and the plane would have taken off with “at least one” extra open seat, according to Southwest.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.