Southwest Airlines announced on Tuesday that beginning April 20, passengers will be permitted to carry only one charger aboard their planes, and it must remain outside of overhead bins or checked luggage. The airline already mandates that passengers keep their chargers visible while in use, allowing flight attendants to respond swiftly if they begin to overheat.
This new Southwest policy is more stringent than the two-charger limit recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization last month. However, the airline has stated that it will not rigorously enforce the policy through bag inspections or confiscations. Instead, Southwest’s Vice President of Safety and Security, Dave Hunt, mentioned that the airline will communicate this information to travelers at the time of booking and during check-in, highlighting the potential hazards involved.
This approach may be crucial, as many individuals appear unaware of the associated risks, according to Jeff Marootian, CEO of UL Standards & Engagement, which sets guidelines for manufacturers of these chargers and other electronic devices.
“A significant part of the concern is observing the increasing number of incidents, which correlates with the rise in devices people are bringing onboard,” he stated.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that incidents involving lithium batteries are rising annually, reaching 97 in 2025, as more people carry rechargeable devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, and portable chargers. Marootian noted that his organization receives reports of two incidents weekly and has documented a 42% increase in occurrences involving portable chargers in 2025.
One of the most severe incidents took place in January 2025 when a major fire on an Air Busan plane waiting for takeoff at a South Korean airport necessitated the evacuation of all 176 passengers before the blaze penetrated the plane’s roof.
Flight attendants are equipped with fire-resistant bags and insulated gloves to manage overheating devices and contain any potential flames. Southwest’s Hunt indicated that the airline’s new regulation will “enhance our ability to contain and mitigate lithium battery incidents, thereby reducing the risk of battery fires.”
To ensure the rule is manageable for passengers, Southwest intends to outfit all of its aircraft with in-seat power by the middle of next year.
Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo, who flew for United Airlines for 37 years, believes Southwest’s new policy is a beneficial measure to lessen risk. Although the number of fires is minimal compared to the approximately 100,000 flights daily worldwide, the consequences of a battery fire can be catastrophic.
“It can escalate into a very serious situation rapidly,” Arroyo remarked.
