New Swiss rules on in-flight power banks

Swiss International Air Lines and the Lufthansa Group are introducing new regulations on the carriage and use of power banks on board their flights. The rules come into force from 15 January and apply uniformly to all the airlines of the group, with the aim of strengthening the safety of passengers and crews.

The decision is based on the potential risk associated with lithium batteries, which can pose a fire hazard in the cabin if overheated or malfunctioned. For this reason, power banks can no longer be used during the flight to charge electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops, nor can they be recharged via the aircraft's power grid.

Each passenger can carry a maximum of two power banks, exclusively in hand luggage. They are no longer allowed to be stored in overhead bins: they must be kept with you, placed in the seat pocket or placed under the front seat. The absolute ban on carriage in checked baggage remains unchanged.

The new rules also establish a maximum permissible capacity of 100 watt-hours. Power banks with a capacity between 100 and 160 watt-hours can only be brought on board with the airline's permission. The same provisions also apply to e-cigarettes.

An exception is the use in support of essential medical devices, which remains permitted in compliance with current regulations.

The measures taken by SWISS and the Lufthansa Group airlines (Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, ITA Airways, as well as regional airlines such as Air Dolomiti, Edelweiss Air and Lufthansa CityLine) are aligned with the latest recommendations of the main international aviation authorities, including EASA, FAA, IATA and ICAO, and represent a relevant update for frequent travellers with devices electronic devices.

For passengers, the advice is to always check the capacity of their power bank before departure and to organize the charging of personal devices at the airport or at the destination, taking into account the new flight restrictions.