Southwest Airlines is establishing one of the strictest policies on lithium portable chargers in the U.S.
According to an internal message that was posted for employees this week and shared with Frommer's by Southwest media reps, each passenger will now be limited to carrying only one lithium portable charger or power bank on any Southwest flight.
Portable chargers may not be recharged using in-seat power outlets, either.
The policy also clarifies a previously reported restriction on portable chargers in overhead bins. In case there was any doubt, the devices are definitely banned from those compartments.
A power bank "must be stored in the Customer’s under-seat carryon or on their person," per the policy, which goes into effect Monday, April 20.
The purpose of the change is to "mitigate lithium battery incidents" and reduce the risk of battery fires, according to Southwest's message.
Flight crews can better assess and extinguish smoking batteries when they're close at hand rather than locked away and smoldering overhead.
The problem of overheating lithium batteries continues to worsen on flights. As Reuters reports, the Federal Aviation Administration logged "97 battery incidents involving smoke, fire, or extreme heat on flights last year, up from 89 in 2024."
Tightening restrictions worldwide on in-flight chargers
A growing number of European and Asian airlines and governments have previously introduced lithium-battery restrictions similar to Southwest's new rules.
In South Korea, a fire sparked by a battery on an Air Busan flight in 2025 prompted a wave of stricter regulations in that part of the world.
Late last month, the International Civil Aviation Organization, which issues aviation standards for 193 member states (including nearly all countries in the United Nations), decreed that portable chargers should be "limited to two per passenger" and the devices should be banned from getting recharged during flights.
In the U.S., the FAA prohibits lithium chargers and power banks from checked luggage, but pretty much lets airlines set their own rules from there.
Few if any other U.S.-based carriers have adopted safety standards for portable chargers that are as stringent as Southwest's new rules.
According to the internal message, Southwest's "entire fleet will feature in-seat power" by the middle of 2027. It's hoped that will reduce the need to bring portable chargers on board in the first place.