Onboard lithium-battery incidents rose 15% over the past year, with power banks becoming the leading source of thermal-runaway events, according to an AIN report citing UL Standards & Engagement vice president David Wroth. The trend, drawn from global aircraft events, comes as airlines tighten preflight messaging and review cabin storage and use rules for portable chargers and other battery-powered devices.
Thermal-runaway events exceeded two a week in 2025, and the rise has sharpened concern over passenger behaviour in the cabin as more travellers carry multiple devices. The pattern has also fed into airline safety messaging after a 2025 Air Busan aircraft fire reportedly linked to a portable charger. Several carriers are now highlighting power-bank risks before departure and adjusting guidance on where such devices may be stowed or used during flight.
The shift matters for airline safety teams because power banks are now the most common trigger in the cited analysis, overtaking other lithium-battery device categories. The issue is not limited to one market or airport, and the report frames it as an industry-wide cabin-fire risk that continues to intensify alongside growing onboard device use.