Southwest Airlines is implementing new restrictions on portable lithium chargers starting April 20 to address rising concerns over battery fires.
Passengers will be limited to one charger per person. The devices cannot be stored in overhead bins or checked bags. When in use, chargers must remain visible and not buried in bags, allowing flight attendants to respond quickly if overheating occurs. Unused chargers may be kept in under-seat carry-on bags or on the person.
Southwest Vice President of Safety and Security Dave Hunt stated the rules aim to mitigate lithium battery incidents. The airline will inform passengers during booking and at airports but will not search bags or confiscate devices.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported 97 lithium battery incidents on aircraft in 2025, up from 89 in 2024, with portable chargers implicated in 19% of cases according to UL Standards research. E-cigarettes accounted for 28%.
Southwest is the first U.S. carrier to impose a one-charger limit, surpassing the International Civil Aviation Organization’s recommendation of two. Several Asian airlines have enacted similar measures following a January fire on an Air Busan plane in South Korea.
The Transportation Security Administration already bans such chargers in checked luggage, permitting them only in carry-ons.