Crisis in the sky: Why airlines are cracking down on lithium-ion?
The safety concerns surrounding lithium-ion batteries have become increasingly evident this year, prompting many airlines to tighten rules on power banks and even causing several flights to divert. In March 2025, South Korea issued a nationwide ban on charging power banks on flights. Later in August 2025, Emirates, one of the world’s largest carriers, also imposed a ban on power banks. Other airlines later joined in cracking down specifically on lithium-ion batteries, especially power banks.
Almost all modern digital devices rely on lithium-ion batteries. Everything from wireless earphones to electric vehicles uses them because of their high power density compared to other battery types. Yet lithium-ion batteries can pose a safety hazard, as they are known to combust. Most bans single out power banks, though, and not without reason. Experts say power banks are more prone to damage or overcharging. When that happens, the battery can enter thermal runaway. This process causes temperatures to spike rapidly and, in some cases, ignite with an intense flame that is almost impossible to put out.
In January 2025, 27 people were injured when an Air Busan aircraft caught fire while on the ground at Busan Airport in South Korea. The plane, valued in tens of millions of dollars, was declared a total loss in one of the first high-stakes cases of this kind. Investigators later identified a power bank as the cause. This prompted the South Korean government to take action, prohibiting passengers from charging power banks during flights.
Soon enough, airlines across the globe started to follow suit. Southwest Airlines was one of the first to adopt restrictions on power banks in June 2025, and the very next day, a flight was diverted after a battery charger began smoking. In 2025 alone, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration logged more than 60 battery-related incidents on aircraft, highlighting the growing danger posed by these devices.
The anxiety over lithium-ion batteries has become so severe that even the possibility of a fire can lead to emergency turnbacks. In October 2025, a United Airlines flight reversed course over the Atlantic after a passenger dropped their laptop between the seats, which slipped into the cargo hold. Because the crew could not determine whether the device was overheating, they decided it was unsafe to continue the ocean crossing and reverted.
Airplanes are not the only mode of transportation endangered by lithium-ion batteries. Recent years have also seen a pick-up in ship fires, many of which are suspected to stem from mislabeled lithium-ion battery shipments. Ship fires are less likely to cause deaths, but they are extremely dangerous and can result in 10-figure losses if not addressed promptly.
For the time being, there is no obvious technical solution to the problem. Many innovations aim to make lithium-ion batteries less dangerous, but even advanced silicon-carbon batteries still suffer from the same safety issues. The always-coming-soon solid-state batteries might be the answer. These batteries are supposed to have little to no liquid inside, reducing combustion risk significantly while also offering longer life and higher energy density. The issue is that solid-state batteries are still a research technology with no concrete timeline for when they might become available. There are many announcements, some from large, credible companies, but there are still no real products for the time being.
In the meantime, travelers will likely continue to encounter new rules and restrictions as airlines attempt to manage the risks. Some carriers are experimenting with onboard fire containment bags, specialized cooling agents, or enhanced cabin crew training. Still, as people carry more devices than ever, restrictions are unlikely to be lifted in the near future.
