ICAO issued new power bank restriction on flight

Rationale and Risk Focus

• ICAO documents (Dangerous Goods Panel) say power banks are a growing concern due to:
  • Very uneven quality and prevalence of low‑end products.
  • Less mechanical and electronic protection than batteries built into devices.
  • Increasing usage and carriage numbers.
• Data show more cabin fires from general portable electronics than from power banks, but regulators still target power banks because of those vulnerabilities.

Why Power Banks vs Phones/Laptops

• Many argue phones/laptops are generally better-engineered, more expensive, and subject to more rigorous QA and brand accountability.
• Power banks are cheap, often near-disposable, and sold by fly‑by‑night brands; safety logos can be faked.
• Some report personal experiences of repeated power bank recalls, including from major brands.
• Counterpoint: even reputable brands have had recalls; risk is not limited to “no‑name” products.

Quantity Limits and Risk Management

• New ICAO guidance: max two spare batteries/power banks per person; may not be recharged on board; “should not” be used to charge devices.
• Critics see “two per person” as arbitrary: if it’s dangerous, one is too many; if it’s safe, why limit?
• Others explain aviation risk management:
  • Every failure mode has a probability and severity; mitigations aim to push aggregate risk below a threshold.
  • More units onboard increases probability of at least one failure.
  • Capping per person also reduces the chance one bag full of cheap packs becomes a single large fire.

Fire Behavior and Mitigation

• Li‑ion thermal runaway is highlighted: cells can provide their own oxidizer, making conventional extinguishers less effective.
• Concern is highest for fires in the cargo hold, where detection and intervention are harder.
• Airlines deploy containment bags; some companies and posters mention using (clay-based) cat litter or water for containment.
• Several airlines already go beyond ICAO, e.g., banning charging from power banks, requiring them to be kept at the seat, or prohibiting them in overhead bins.

Other Devices and Future Tech

• Multiple pilots/posters say e‑cigarettes/vapes are a major, under-addressed risk due to high currents, unprotected cells, and low QA.
• Some hope safer chemistries (solid-state, sodium, LFP, lithium‑titanate) will eventually reduce or eliminate such restrictions, but note that today they’re expensive or treated under similar rules.
• Practical complaint: sudden rule change with no transition period complicates near‑term travel plans.