Overview

• Effective October 1, Emirates will ban all in-flight use and recharging of portable power banks after a comprehensive safety review highlighted rising lithium battery incidents.
• Passengers may bring only one power bank under 100 Wh, which must display its capacity and be stowed in a seat pocket or under-seat bag—not in overhead bins or checked luggage.
• Emirates’ policy follows a January Air Busan A321 fire and an uptick in cabin battery events documented by regulators such as the FAA and IATA.
• Accessible storage mandates ensure cabin crew can swiftly access devices to contain any thermal runaway-induced fire before it spreads.
• The move aligns Emirates with carriers including Southwest, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways in tightening lithium-battery carriage rules worldwide.