Why is the DGCA reviewing rules on carrying power banks on flights in India?

The DGCA is reviewing global aviation practices after growing concerns over lithium battery-related fire incidents. The move also follows a recent IndiGo incident at Chandigarh Airport where a power bank reportedly caught fire after landing.

Has India banned passengers from carrying power banks on flights?

No, there is no ban yet on carrying power banks onboard. Sources said the DGCA is still reviewing global norms, and no final decision has been taken on prohibiting passengers from bringing them on flights.

What are the current DGCA rules for power banks and lithium batteries on flights?

Under the DGCA’s January advisory, passengers cannot use power banks to charge phones or other devices during the flight. Power banks and spare lithium batteries must be carried only in hand baggage and must not be stored in overhead compartments.

Why are power banks considered a safety risk inside aircraft?

Power banks contain lithium-ion batteries, which can overheat, catch fire, and act as ignition sources. Such fires can be intense, self-sustaining, and difficult to detect or control quickly, especially inside the cabin or overhead storage areas.

What are airlines and global regulators doing about portable chargers onboard flights?

Globally, rules are becoming stricter. ICAO has advised that portable chargers should stay within passengers’ reach and should not be charged onboard. The FAA does not allow them in checked baggage, while some airlines in the US, Japan, and South Korea have imposed tighter storage or usage restrictions.

Power banks on flights under scanner after fire scare: What flyers should know

India had already tightened rules earlier this year. In a ‘Dangerous Goods Advisory Circular’ issued in January, the DGCA barred passengers from using power banks to charge phones or other electronic devices during flights, including through aircraft seat power outlets.

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Karishma Asoodani

Updated May 7, 2026 4:28 PM IST

Power banks on flights under scanner after fire scare: What flyers should know

The review comes days after an IndiGo flight at Chandigarh Airport was evacuated after a power bank reportedly caught fire inside the aircraft shortly after landing.

India’s aviation regulator is reviewing global practices on carrying and using power banks onboard flights, amid growing concerns over lithium battery-related fire incidents and increasing restrictions by airlines and regulators worldwide, sources told Business Today TV.

“DGCA is reviewing global aviation practices. No decision has been taken yet on prohibiting passengers from carrying power banks,” a person familiar with the matter said.

The review comes days after an IndiGo flight at Chandigarh Airport was evacuated after a power bank reportedly caught fire inside the aircraft shortly after landing. Smoke filled the cabin during passenger disembarkation, triggering panic onboard. Airport officials said six passengers sustained minor injuries, while others were evacuated safely.

The incident has renewed scrutiny over the risks posed by lithium-ion batteries during flights, especially inside aircraft cabins, where overheating devices can rapidly become a safety hazard.

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India had already tightened rules earlier this year. In a ‘Dangerous Goods Advisory Circular’ issued in January, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) barred passengers from using power banks to charge phones or other electronic devices during flights, including through aircraft seat power outlets.

The regulator also directed that power banks and spare lithium batteries must only be carried in hand baggage and cannot be stored in overhead compartments, citing concerns that fires in such locations are difficult to detect and control quickly.

“The widespread usage of lithium batteries in various rechargeable devices has led to an increase in the carriage of lithium batteries by air. Power banks, portable chargers, and similar devices containing lithium batteries can act as ignition sources and potentially initiate onboard fires,” the DGCA had said in its advisory.

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The regulator had further warned that lithium battery fires can be highly energetic and, in some cases, self-sustaining, making them difficult to extinguish.

India’s review comes amid a broader global tightening of norms around portable chargers and lithium battery-powered devices.
In March, the International Civil Aviation Organization advised that portable chargers should remain within passengers’ reach and should not be charged onboard aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration already bars such devices from checked luggage and restricts passengers to carrying portable chargers only in cabin baggage.

Several international airlines have also adopted stricter norms. United Airlines prohibits passengers from storing portable chargers in overhead bins, while airlines in Japan and South Korea have reportedly banned the in-flight use of portable chargers altogether.

Officials said the DGCA is now assessing whether additional safeguards are required as passenger dependence on battery-powered devices continues to grow.

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FAQs

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Why is the DGCA reviewing rules on carrying power banks on flights in India?
The DGCA is reviewing global aviation practices after growing concerns over lithium battery-related fire incidents. The move also follows a recent IndiGo incident at Chandigarh Airport where a power bank reportedly caught fire after landing.
+
Has India banned passengers from carrying power banks on flights?
No, there is no ban yet on carrying power banks onboard. Sources said the DGCA is still reviewing global norms, and no final decision has been taken on prohibiting passengers from bringing them on flights.
+
What are the current DGCA rules for power banks and lithium batteries on flights?
Under the DGCA’s January advisory, passengers cannot use power banks to charge phones or other devices during the flight. Power banks and spare lithium batteries must be carried only in hand baggage and must not be stored in overhead compartments.
+
Why are power banks considered a safety risk inside aircraft?
Power banks contain lithium-ion batteries, which can overheat, catch fire, and act as ignition sources. Such fires can be intense, self-sustaining, and difficult to detect or control quickly, especially inside the cabin or overhead storage areas.
+
What are airlines and global regulators doing about portable chargers onboard flights?
Globally, rules are becoming stricter. ICAO has advised that portable chargers should stay within passengers’ reach and should not be charged onboard. The FAA does not allow them in checked baggage, while some airlines in the US, Japan, and South Korea have imposed tighter storage or usage restrictions.

Published on: May 7, 2026 1:34 PM IST

Power banks on flights under scanner after fire scare: What flyers should know

India had already tightened rules earlier this year. In a ‘Dangerous Goods Advisory Circular’ issued in January, the DGCA barred passengers from using power banks to charge phones or other electronic devices during flights, including through aircraft seat power outlets.

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