Can I Bring A Power Bank On A Plane?

Can I bring a power bank on a plane? Simply put, yes. But, a whole lot of power banks could only be taken on a plane as long as they fall under a certain volume. And, you need to carry them on your hand luggage.

A power bank is an important device that you should have while you’re on a long trip. But, do you have to follow some rules while you take them on a plane? In this article, you get to know everything about flying with a power bank on a plane.

Can you bring power banks on planes?

Power banks are allowed to bring on planes as long as you follow some guidelines. The power banks should have a certain capacity. Because power banks make use of lithium-ion batteries, you can only take them on the flight when they’re packed as carry-on luggage. A similar rule applies to all the devices that make use of a lithium-ion battery such as your laptop.

What size of power banks are allowed on a plane?

Now that you have come to know it’s possible to take power banks on a plane, you should know certain things beforehand. If you want to take power banks on a plane, make sure they don’t exceed the limit of 100Wh (Watt-hour). In general, a vast majority of them don’t go beyond the said limit.

Yet, it’s worth checking the capacity that your portable charger holds. It would be annoying when you pack your hand luggage with a massive power bank only to be taken off during the security checking because of exceeding the limit.

How can you calculate the capacity?

Confused about how to calculate your power bank’s capacity? Don’t worry, here is an outline that helps you to check the watt-hour of your portable charger. All you need to consider is the Milliamp Hours (or, mAh). Divide it by 1000 multiplied by its voltage (V), and the result will give you the Watt-hour (Wh).

Still, confused? Let’s clear it out by taking an example of a power bank that has a capacity of 10400 milliamp hours and 5v. When you divide the number by 1000 and multiply it with a voltage of 5, the result will be 52-watt hours.

How many power banks can you take on a plane?

The international aviation organization has made certain rules when it is about flying with on-board power banks. The number of power banks you can take on a plane varies from airline to airline. Some of them may permit you to take two power banks along with you.

British Airways, on the other hand, states that anyone can take up to four batteries that sum for 100Wh. This may include the batteries commonly used in laptops, digital cameras, and mobile phones. But, you need to check the criteria before you fly.

What if your power bank exceeds the recommended limit?

The rules for power banks exceeding the said limit differ per airline. In general, those exceeding the limit of 100Wh can’t go along with you on the flight. Yet, sometimes when you have to take them on-board, you need to have special permission from the relevant authorities of the airline you are traveling with. Before going in with the trip, double-check what your airline has to say about that.

Are there regulations around packing extra batteries?

Any kind of extra batteries like those intended for kid toys or battery packs for laptops must be packed in a proper way so as to prevent short circuits and damage. Put them on individual plastic bags that can be sealed. Or, you can use tape or other kinds of cover that protects the battery terminals from having a short circuit.

Can you put power banks or extra batteries in your checked-in luggage?

Airlines prohibit extra batteries or power banks in your checked-in baggage for safety purposes. In extremely rare circumstances, there are risks that the batteries may burst into flames. The airline crew can handle the risk of such instances in the cabin rather than the baggage compartment. That’s because no one would get to know about such an incident if occurred otherwise.

Conclusion:

When you travel with electronics, it is always better to check with your airline rather than taking unnecessary risks. Different airlines have different regulations, and it’s wise to know them beforehand.