Southwest Airlines is restricting the use of power banks due to the risk of them catching fire during flights.
A spokesperson told Business Insider that the airline will introduce a “first-in-industry safety policy” on May 28.
“Using portable charging devices while stored in a bag or overhead bin will no longer be permitted,” they added. “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees.”
Since last week, passengers checking in for their flights on the Southwest app have received pop-up notifications that warn about portable charging devices.
A Reddit user shared a screenshot from the app, which read: “If you use a power bank during your flight, keep it out of your bag and in plain sight. Do not charge devices in the overhead bin.”
The devices are powered by lithium batteries that can overheat and catch fire. In such rare cases, keeping the device in plain sight makes it easier for flight attendants to identify any smoke or fire and react quickly to extinguish it.
Last year, the Federal Aviation Administration recorded about three incidents every two weeks, compared to fewer than one a week in 2018.
The FAA has recorded nine confirmed incidents in the US this year.
There have been other suspected cases and disruptions caused just by the risk of overheating.
Last month, a Lufthansa Airbus A380 with 461 passengers had to divert to Boston when a passenger’s tablet became stuck in a seat.
The most notable incident occurred in South Korea in January. An Air Busan plane was about to take off when a fire spread through the cabin, injuring seven people.
Investigators later said the fire was likely caused by a power bank, found in an overhead luggage bin.
The Korean government subsequently tightened its rules for airlines, which included prohibiting storing them in the overhead bins.
In the US, there are already many limits on power banks, which are banned from checked luggage. Southwest is going a step further in response to recent incidents.
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