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There is a long list of hazardous goods prohibited in checked and carry-on baggage. Passengers must abide by these rules and refrain from travelling with these items to ensure a safe and hassle-free travel experience. Unlike the movie theatre, one cannot simply sneak in an item that is restricted on board. Flammable liquids and solids to corrosive items to gases to explosives to ammunition to weapons to oxidising materials to dry coconuts, sharp objects – these, among many other objects, don’t belong in a metal tube 35,000 feet in the sky. But there is a list of items that a passenger is allowed to carry on the flight deck but cannot check in. Lithium-ion batteries, commonly found in power banks, are a prime example. But why? “Prohibited Items In Cabin Baggage” For ease of understanding, let’s take IndiGo’s list of prohibited items in cabin baggage as an example. These items can still travel with you, but they remain safely tucked away in the cargo area of the aircraft after you have checked them in. Please note that prohibited items may vary between airlines and countries. For instance, someone leaving India for a European destination cannot carry a matchbox or a lighter. However, during their return to India from the said European state, they may be allowed to carry a matchbox or a lighter. Knives, scissors, Swiss army knives and other sharp instruments Toy replicas of fire arms and ammunition Weapons such as whips, nan-chakus, baton, or stun gun Electronic devices which cannot be switched off Aerosols and liquids* Any other items which are deemed security hazards by local law In its extensive list of items allowed or prohibited in the cabin and cargo, one electronic device stands out: power banks are universally banned from checked baggage. Power Banks / Lithium-ion Batteries Lithium-ion batteries can overheat and initiate a thermal runaway process. “Thermal runaway is defined as a self-reinforcing reaction process that occurs when an exothermic reaction leads to an increase in temperature, potentially resulting from conditions such as overheating, overcharging, or mechanical failure, which can trigger various possible reactions like thermal decomposition of the electrolyte or internal short circuits,” according to ScienceDirect.com. In short, an overheated power bank can heat up further and ignite.. A power bank, unsupervised in the cargo hold area, is hard to extinguish. Additionally, the power bank can be damaged or punctured during baggage handling, which can trigger a short circuit. China-Seoul Flight Horror A horror show was on full display after a power bank reportedly caught fire in a China-Seoul flight, creating pandemonium mid-air. ?Power bank bursts into flames mid-flight A power bank caught fire mid-air on a China-based Airbus A321 flying from Hangzhou to Seoul. The blaze started in an overhead bin at an altitude of 10 km, quickly filling the cabin with smoke. The crew requested an emergency landing in… pic.twitter.com/11anLdvlyr — NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 18, 2025 The fire was believed to have started in an overhead luggage compartment, where the device was stored. As smoke began to spread, flight attendants quickly rushed to the scene, grabbing fire extinguishers and working together to put out the flames. Also Read: Video of Plane Taking Off With Snowy Wings Causes Outrage: Why Is Deicing Critical For Aircraft? The pilots immediately contacted air traffic control and requested an emergency landing at Shanghai Pudong Airport. Fortunately, no one was harmed on board, thanks to the cabin crew’s swift actions that prevented a full-blown catastrophic mid-air fire. Emirates Prohibits Use Of Power Banks In a recent safety update, Emirates has prohibited the use or charging of power banks onboard. Under the revised rules, passengers may carry only one power bank, which must remain switched off throughout the entire journey. “From 1 October, using or charging a power bank on board Emirates flights will no longer be permitted. Customers can still carry one power bank on board and it must be in cabin baggage. Power banks are not permitted in checked-in baggage,” Emirates said in a statement. “The use of power banks has grown significantly in recent years, leading to more battery-related incidents in aviation. This measure aims to reduce such risks,” the statement added. UPS Flight 6 The presence of lithium batteries on a flight has resulted in the tragic deaths of two crew members. UPS Flight 6, a Boeing 747 travelling from Dubai to Cologne, carried lithium batteries in the cargo hold that caught fire mid-flight. The pilots fought to keep the bird airborne for as long as they could. With total loss of control, the cargo plane crashed near Dubai.
