Power banks are a great and convenient thing to have when traveling since you can charge your phone or tablet wherever you go. Thanks to these portable batteries, you no longer have to look for an outlet in the airport and stand beside your gadget while your device is charging.
However, you may have noticed airlines have a rating limit on what kinds of batteries and capacities are allowed to be boarded in a plane, including your trusty power bank.
In this post, let’s talk about power banks and how to ensure you are bringing the right kind on your next flight to avoid any hassle.
Table of Contents
- Are power banks really dangerous?
- Understanding power banks
- What do airlines say about power banks and batteries?
- How to calculate the right powerbank capacity
- Safety tips for power banks and batteries
Are power banks really dangerous?
Power banks are generally safe to use and carry on a plane. However, there have been several incidents involving power banks, causing panic among passengers.
For instance, on February 23, 2024, a passenger’s power bank charging his iPad exploded in an airplane’s cabin on a flight from Boracay to Shanghai (China), forcing an emergency landing in Hong Kong. Fortunately, no one got hurt or injured. However, can you imagine the panic and trauma it may have caused to the people on the plane?
Though these events are isolated incidents involving a power bank mid-flight, it’s crucial to be cautious to ensure the safety and security of everyone aboard (including you).
Understanding power banks
Power banks are essentially portable batteries you can use to charge your electronic devices, like your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. It typically uses rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that allow for a smaller size. However, power banks can also use other types of rechargeable batteries, like Lithium Polymer (Li-Po).
Typically, you will see the power bank ratings in the range of tens of thousands of milliampere-hours (mAh), like 20,000 mAh (we’ll go more about these numbers later).
While lithium-ion batteries are great, they also can pose some dangers because they contain highly flammable materials, which can catch fire if the battery gets short-circuited or damaged. This is why airlines are strict on their power bank and battery policies and implement limits on the types you can bring on board.
See also: Gadget restrictions and policies in PH airplanes
What do airlines say about power banks and batteries?
It’s crucial to be aware of the regulations set by airlines, which often include limits on the types of power banks and their capacities that are allowed to be boarded in a plane.
You may notice that airlines require watt-hours (Wh) instead of milliampere-hours (mAh). This is because the Wh is a universal unit that can be used on other battery types besides Lithium-ion, like Lithium Polymer (Li-Po). On the other hand, mAh is used for marketing purposes to compare different power bank capacities against the same battery type.
Here are what the three main airlines in the country say about power banks and batteries.
Philippine Airlines
The flag carrier of the Philippines, PAL, has included various equipment reminders for battery-related items you want to check in, including power banks. They
According to their website, Lithium-ion (rechargeable) batteries are limited to a rating of 100 watt-hours (Wh) per battery.
Note: Upon PAL’s approval, you can carry up to two spare larger lithium-ion batteries with a 101 to 160 Wh capacity.
AirAsia
AirAsia is another low-cost airline operating in the Philippines and is also implementing similar restrictions on Lithium-Ion Batteries.
- Checked Baggage – lithium-ion batteries and cells up to 100 watt-hours (Wh).
- Cabin Baggage – lithium-ion batteries over 100 Wh, not exceeding 160 Wh.
Cebu Pacific
Low-cost airline Cebu Pacific also has a similar regulation regarding power banks and batteries, based on its website, several posts on social media, and interviews.
According to Cebu Pacific, you can bring up to two power banks. However, they should not exceed 100 watt-hours (Wh), equivalent to 20,000 mAh to 27,000 mAh, depending on the output voltage (we’ll compute this later).
However, Cebu Pacific doesn’t specify if you can bring an extra power bank, whether on your carry-on or checked baggage.
How to calculate the right powerbank capacity
All three airlines, including international flights, have a 100-watt-hour (Wh) rating limit for lithium-ion batteries (the ones power banks use) for carry-on baggage or up to 160 Wh for cabin baggage.
However, you might have noticed that your power bank uses the unit of milliampere-hours or mAh instead of watt-hour (Wh), like 20,000 mAh.
To convert your power bank rating of mAh to Wh, you only need to use a simple calculation.
Multiply your power bank’s mAh rating by the battery’s cell voltage (typically 3.6 V for Lithium-ion batteries), then divide by 1,000.
Example 1:
For instance, if you bought a 20,000 mAh power bank with the typical nominal voltage of 3.6 V. Following the computation, it will result in 72 watt-hours (Wh), which is within the airline’s 100 Wh battery capacity limit.
Example 2:
On the other hand, what if you brought a 30,000 mAh power bank in preparation for your long air travel, which also has a nominal voltage of 3.6 V?
In this case, the power bank will have a 108 Wh rating, which will not be allowed on your carry-on baggage but is still within the 160 Wh limit for cabin baggage. However, you need to inform it in advance that you’re bringing a higher-rated power bank.
Note: It’s crucial that you compute your power bank’s Wh rating before bringing it to the airport to avoid any issues or delays with the airline. However, if you need to bring a higher-rated power bank (more than 160 Wh), you can ask for permission in advance.
Safety tips for power banks and batteries
The airlines limit the allowable power banks and batteries to ensure the safety and security of the passengers because larger lithium-ion batteries may potentially cause a fire.
Only bring a power bank within the 100 Wh limit
Before going to the airport, compute your power bank’s Watt-hours (Wh) rating to see if it is within the limit. Airlines set the 100 Wh limit to ensure the safety of everyone who will board the plane.
When choosing the right power bank to bring on the plane, you should only bring the one with a maximum of 27,000 mAh (97.2 Wh) rating to ensure you are within the limit.
It’s important to follow the set limit to avoid any potential violations and delays on your flight.
Only buy your power bank from legitimate sources
If you browse most online shopping websites, you can easily see 20,000 mAh power banks that only cost less than P500. This is extremely cheap, given the relatively high rating. Unfortunately, this is a tell-tale sign that the power bank is fake and can be dangerous.
Don’t bring bloated or worn-out power banks
Bloated power banks are a sign of damage, which may be due to factors like overheating, overcharging, defects, or age. So, if your power bank is already worn out, don’t bring it on your next travel. Instead, retire it and properly dispose of it.
Ensure that the power banks have a visible rating label
Your power bank should have a visible rating label showing its rating, like 20,000 mAh. If your power bank’s label is erased, the airline personnel will not allow it on board.
Cover your extra batteries to avoid short circuits
Some airlines allow two extra batteries with a 101 to 160 Wh rating in the cabin. However, you must ensure it is properly packaged and will not be damaged. Also, remember that you need to inform the airline that you’re bringing a higher-rated power bank first.
Power banks are an essential gadget to use on your travels because they bring you convenience – no more low-bat cellphones or tablets. However, it’s crucial to know the allowable limits of power banks, especially if you’re traveling by plane.