CAA urges passengers to ‘pack right’ amid fire risk posed by power banks and vapes

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has unveiled a summer campaign with the slogan “pack right for a safe flight”, warning of the fire risk posed by lithium battery-powered devices including power banks and vapes.

 

The regulator has identified the fire risk posed by lithium batteries as the “number one safety risk to aircraft”, but estimates hundreds of batteries are being packed incorrectly on a typical flight.

 

In its summer campaign, the CAA is reminding passengers to take mobile phones, vapes and power banks on board with them instead of packing the devices in checked-in luggage.

 

Power packs should never be charged on a flight, the CAA warned, while laptops should be turned off completely if they are packed in checked-in luggage.

 

Giancarlo Buono, director of aviation safety at the CAA, said: “Flying is by far the safest way to travel and we want to keep it that way. Pack right for a safe flight, and that means don’t put your batteries in your checked bag.

Take them into the cabin with you.”

 

The CAA said new data shows lithium battery incidents are now occurring at a rate of around two per week.

 

Reports of overheating or malfunctioning passenger devices nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025, the regulator said, while the number of lithium battery-powered devices being incorrectly packed in checked baggage also rose by 91% in 2025.

 

The regulator said passenger awareness of the risks remains low, citing research suggesting more than a third (36%) of travellers are unaware of the dangers of packing batteries in checked baggage, even though 92% fly with a mobile phone, 55% with a laptop and 49% with a power bank.

 

This suggests “hundreds” of batteries could be incorrectly packed on a typical flight.

 

The average person takes four lithium-powered devices on a trip, the CAA said, meaning there are “more than 2,000 on a busy Airbus A380 flight”.

 

Power banks and vapes are some of the highest-risk items, the regulator warned. Passengers cannot fly with more than two power banks and must never charge the power bank itself onboard the aircraft.

Airlines UK chief executive Tim Alderslade said: “UK airlines support this important campaign. Flying is the safest form of travel but as the number of electronic devices we use increases, the risk of lithium battery incidents is a growing challenge.

 

“While pilots and cabin crew are trained to deal with any situation, the best outcome is always prevention, which starts when passengers pack their bags.

 

“Electronic devices like tablets, power banks and vapes belong in your hand luggage, not the hold. We would urge every passenger heading away this summer to take a moment to check before they zip up their bag.”

 

Karen Dee, chief executive of AirportsUK, said: “Everyone in aviation is working hard to ensure that passengers are aware of the rules around the packing of rechargeable batteries and that we can all fly off on our summer holidays safely.

 

“Through the AirportsUK health and safety working group and in our work with the CAA, we have developed a clear message: travellers must bring any rechargeable batteries they wish to take on their holidays with them into the cabin.

 

“We want everyone to be able to enjoy their summer holidays and to do that, we should all pack right for a safe flight.”

 

Gareth Salt, vice-president of health, safety and security at Virgin Atlantic, said: “Ahead of our peak summer travel season at Virgin Atlantic, it’s really important that customers know the guidance for lithium battery-powered devices, including power banks and vapes, and pack them correctly.”