All 11 Lufthansa Group Airlines to Ban Power Bank Use Inflight
- Sam
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Yesterday, 15 January 2026, all 11 airlines in the Lufthansa Group will now prohibit passengers from using or charging power banks during flights, joining a growing list of carriers restricting these devices.
Look, we have all come to rely on our portable power banks to charge our phones, tablets, or laptop on the go. But they're increasingly being banned by airlines around the world from in-flight use due to fire safety concerns over lithium batteries. This article will hopefully raise your awareness regarding your future travel plans.
We first covered this trend back in October when Emirates announced a similar ban. Four months later, the largest airline group in Europe has followed suit.
What's Changing
From 15 January 2026, these new restrictions apply:
Lufthansa Group airlines affected:
Lufthansa
Eurowings
Austrian Airlines
ITA Airways
Swiss International Air Lines
Brussels Airlines
Air Dolomiti
Discover Airlines
Edelweiss Air
Lufthansa CityLine
Lufthansa City Airlines
What you can't do:
Use power banks to charge your devices in-flight
Charge power banks using aircraft power outlets
Store power banks in overhead bins
Pack them in checked baggage
What you must do:
Only carry a maximum of two power banks per person
Keep them in the seat pocket, under the seat, or on your person
Get advance airline approval for power banks between 100-160Wh
Ensure capacity is clearly marked on the device
Medical devices are exempt, though advance approval is still required.
Why This Matters for UK Travellers
The Lufthansa Group operates an extensive route network connecting multiple UK airports to their hubs of Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Rome, and Brussels.
They join over 60 airlines worldwide that have already banned inflight power bank use. The trend started in early 2025 after an incident on Air Busan, with Asian carriers (Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air) restricting use or full bans by April 2025. Japan's 19 domestic carriers followed in July, some Middle Eastern carriers (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar) in October, and a few Australian carriers (Qantas, Virgin Australia) in December. India's aviation regulator issued similar guidance in January 2026 affecting all Indian airlines.
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Lufthansa is the first major European group to act, but don't be surprised when Air France/KLM, IAG (British Airways, Iberia, etc), or others announce similar policies soon.
The Realistic Assessment of the Lufthansa Group Banning Power Bank Usage
Nobody's thrilled about losing access to power banks mid-flight. But if you've got in-seat power and you've charged devices before boarding, this will be manageable. The bigger issue is when you're travelling long-haul and your in-seat power is broken, or your seat is simply not equipped. Given the age of the Lufthansa Group fleet, there is a high chance that your seat will simply not have in seat power. If this is the case, then you're going to have to be rationing your device usage. Perhaps bring a book?
It must be said that these regulations are based on very real safety concerns. Lithium battery fires are genuinely dangerous, let alone in flight.
Expect this to become standard across European and North American airlines within the next year as they play catch up with the rest of the world.
If you tend to travel with a power bank, the next time you're flying do take a minute to check the airlines policy on usage/carriage.
Sam
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