UK travel is entering a more closely regulated phase for passengers carrying power banks, vapes and other lithium-powered devices, with easyJet reinforcing its onboard safety requirements as holidaymakers continue travelling during the busy summer period. The rules are designed to reduce the risk of lithium-battery incidents, particularly overheating, fire and accidental activation.
For easyJet passengers, the message is pretty simple: your power bank belongs in your cabin bag, not your checked suitcase, and it is not there to become your personal charging station at 35,000 feet.
Under easyJet’s current guidance, passengers can carry a maximum of two power banks, while the devices cannot be recharged or used to charge other equipment during the flight. E-cigarettes and vaping devices must remain in cabin baggage, switched off and protected against accidental activation.
Power Banks Must Stay In Cabin Baggage
Power banks are treated as spare lithium batteries because their primary purpose is to provide power to other electronic devices.
That means passengers must carry them in hand baggage rather than checked luggage.
easyJet currently permits up to two power banks per passenger and requires them to be individually protected, such as by keeping them in their original packaging or a suitable plastic bag.
The airline also recommends keeping power banks somewhere passengers can monitor them, such as on their person.
The reason is straightforward.
If a lithium battery overheats or develops a fault in the cabin, crew can respond immediately. A battery problem inside a checked suitcase in the aircraft hold is considerably harder to identify and address.
New Power Bank Limits Matter
UK aviation rules changed on 27 March 2026, following updated international dangerous-goods provisions concerning lithium cells, batteries and power banks.
The revised provisions introduced specific restrictions on the number of power banks passengers can carry and how they can be used during flights.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority states that passengers are limited to two power banks per person and that they must be carried in cabin baggage. They must not be recharged onboard and should not be used to recharge other portable electronic devices during the flight.
That means passengers should charge their power banks before arriving at the airport rather than assuming they can top them up during the flight.
easyJet Has Its Own Restrictions
easyJet’s rules closely reflect the new safety approach but also include airline-specific conditions.
The carrier states that power banks can be carried in cabin baggage, with a maximum of two per passenger. They must be individually protected and cannot be used or recharged onboard.
easyJet currently accepts power banks with lithium batteries up to 160 Wh, subject to its stated conditions. However, passengers should check their individual airline’s rules because operator requirements can be stricter than general international limits.
For ordinary consumer power banks, checking the watt-hour rating before packing is therefore essential.
Vapes Must Remain In The Cabin
E-cigarettes and vaping devices are subject to similarly strict handling requirements.
easyJet states that all electronic cigarettes and vaping devices must be carried in cabin baggage and are not permitted in checked luggage.
They must be completely switched off and protected against accidental activation.
Charging vaping devices onboard is strictly prohibited. easyJet also permits a maximum of two spare vape batteries in carry-on baggage.
Passengers should therefore avoid putting a vape into a suitcase that is being checked at the airport.
If cabin baggage is unexpectedly placed in the aircraft hold at the gate, passengers should remove their lithium-powered devices and spare batteries first.
Laptops Need Attention Too
The updated guidance is not only about power banks and vapes.
easyJet states that laptops must be carried in hand baggage only and should not be placed in checked luggage.
Other portable electronic devices containing lithium batteries should also be handled carefully.
Phones, cameras, tablets, smartwatches and similar equipment are generally best carried in the cabin, where passengers and crew can respond if a device becomes unusually hot, damaged or begins producing smoke.
International aviation guidance also recommends keeping lithium-powered equipment accessible during travel.
Battery Size Still Matters
Battery capacity is measured in watt-hours (Wh), and passengers should check the rating printed on their power bank or battery.
Under the current UK aviation framework, lithium-ion power banks up to 100 Wh can generally be carried without operator approval.
Power banks above 100 Wh but not exceeding 160 Wh may require airline approval under the applicable rules.
Anything above the permitted threshold may not be accepted for passenger travel.
The important detail is that airline-specific requirements can differ, so travellers should confirm the rules before flying.
Damaged Batteries Are A Big No
Passengers should never travel with damaged, swollen, leaking or recalled lithium batteries.
A damaged battery can present a thermal runaway risk, potentially producing extreme heat, smoke or fire.
The same principle applies to damaged phones, laptops, power banks and other battery-powered devices.
If a battery-powered device becomes unusually hot or begins smoking during a flight, passengers should alert cabin crew immediately rather than attempting to handle the problem themselves.
The Overhead Locker Is Not Always The Best Place
While cabin baggage is the correct location for power banks and spare batteries, aviation guidance encourages passengers to keep these items accessible.
The latest IATA passenger guidance recommends that power banks should not be stored in overhead lockers, making a location where they can be monitored preferable.
This is particularly relevant during long flights.
Passengers should avoid burying power banks beneath clothing or heavy luggage where they cannot be reached quickly.
What Travellers Should Do Before Flying
Before leaving home, passengers should check the watt-hour rating of every power bank they plan to carry.
They should keep power banks and spare batteries in cabin baggage, protect exposed terminals and ensure devices are not damaged.
Vapes should be switched off and stored where accidental activation is prevented.
Passengers should also check the airline’s latest dangerous-goods guidance because requirements can vary between carriers and destinations.
And if cabin baggage is taken at the gate for loading into the hold, lithium batteries, power banks and other restricted items should be removed first.
Travel Details For UK Holidaymakers
easyJet currently permits up to two power banks per passenger, carried in cabin baggage.
Power banks cannot be used or recharged onboard easyJet aircraft.
Vapes must remain in cabin baggage, switched off and protected against accidental activation.
Laptops must also remain in hand baggage under easyJet’s current guidance.
Passengers travelling with larger lithium batteries should check the watt-hour rating and obtain any required airline approval before travelling.
Key Stats And Safety Rules
27 March 2026: Updated UK lithium battery and power bank provisions took effect.
2: Maximum power banks permitted per passenger under the current UK rules.
100 Wh: General threshold for lithium-ion power banks without operator approval.
160 Wh: Upper limit referenced by easyJet for accepted lithium power banks under its conditions.
2: Maximum spare vape batteries permitted in easyJet cabin baggage.
0: Power banks that may be used or recharged onboard easyJet aircraft.
Cabin only: Power banks and e-cigarettes/vapes must not be placed in checked baggage.
FAQ: UK Power Bank And Vape Rules
1. Can I put a power bank in my checked suitcase?
No. Power banks are treated as spare lithium batteries and must be carried in cabin baggage.
2. Can I charge my power bank during an easyJet flight?
No. easyJet prohibits passengers from charging power banks or using them to charge other devices onboard.
3. Can I put my vape in checked luggage?
No. easyJet requires e-cigarettes and vaping devices to remain in cabin baggage, switched off and protected against accidental activation.
Timeline And Key Dates
27 March 2026: Updated UK provisions for lithium cells, batteries and power banks became effective.
5 August 2026: easyJet issued an updated passenger safety notice covering laptops, power banks and vaping devices.
Current: Passengers must follow airline-specific battery and electronic-device requirements.
Ongoing: Airlines may impose conditions that are stricter than general international rules.
Conclusion
The days of casually throwing a power bank into any suitcase are firmly behind UK travellers. Updated aviation rules and easyJet’s current requirements place greater emphasis on where batteries are packed, how many power banks passengers carry and whether those devices are used during the flight.
For holidaymakers, the safest packing routine is remarkably simple: keep power banks and vapes in cabin baggage, protect loose batteries, check watt-hour ratings and never assume that every airline follows exactly the same rules.
Because the last thing anyone wants on the way to their summer escape is a baggage-security conversation that begins with: “So… what’s this suspiciously oversized power bank doing in your suitcase?”
