Lithium battery fire cases: Airlines told to tighten fire safety as DGCA bans inflight charging

In a significant move to bolster onboard safety, India’s aviation regulator has banned the use of power banks to charge phones or gadgets during flights, citing the fire hazard posed by lithium batteries. 

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued the advisory following a spate of global incidents involving overheating and fires triggered by lithium batteries. Airlines have now been instructed to prohibit passengers from charging devices using power banks — even via aircraft seat power outlets. 

The DGCA, in a circular released earlier in November, reiterated that power banks and spare batteries must only be carried in hand baggage and not stored in overhead bins, where fires are harder to detect and contain. 

“The widespread usage of lithium batteries in various rechargeable devices has led to an increase in carriage of lithium batteries by air,” the circular noted. “Power banks, portable chargers, and similar devices containing lithium batteries can act as ignition sources and potentially initiate on-board fires.” 

It warned that such batteries, if kept in overhead storage or obscured carry-ons, can delay fire detection and response — posing a major threat to flight safety. 

In response, the DGCA has asked airlines to reassess safety protocols, provide better training to crew for early fire detection and ensure firefighting equipment and protective gear are on board. Additionally, airlines must communicate the revised guidelines to passengers through regular announcements. 

The DGCA’s Dangerous Goods Advisory Circular No. 01/2025, issued on November 11, 2025, aims to reduce risks from lithium batteries and electronic devices carried by passengers and crew.

The circular notes the increasing use of lithium-powered devices such as power banks, laptops, and phones — highlighting their high energy density and potential to overheat, ignite, or explode when damaged or overcharged.

Fires caused by these batteries can be intense, self-sustaining, and difficult to contain, especially when stored in overhead bins or obscured in carry-on bags, delaying detection and response.

Airlines have been directed to reassess safety protocols, enforce fire prevention measures, equip aircraft with emergency tools like fire-resistant gloves, and improve crew training to identify early signs of battery failure, such as smoke or unusual odors.

The move underscores growing global concerns over lithium battery safety in aviation, and marks a push toward preventive vigilance in Indian skies.