A travel expert has issued a stark warning about an often-overlooked electronic item that must always be carried into the aircraft cabin. Ash Bhardwaj, a travel journalist, emphasized that any electronics containing lithium batteries should never be placed in checked luggage due to a serious fire risk.
Why Lithium Batteries Are a Fire Hazard in the Hold
Speaking on BBC's Morning Live, Bhardwaj explained that while fires in the cabin can be managed by the crew, a fire in the luggage hold could prove catastrophic. He pointed to a recent incident where an easyJet flight bound for the UK was forced to divert to Rome after a passenger realized they had left a lithium battery in their hold luggage.
Bhardwaj shared his own close call: "We were in Vietnam, flying back home, and I saw these signs about not allowing lithium batteries in hold luggage. I was checking everything—'Is this one a lithium battery, like the fan for the baby carrier?'" To be safe, he moved any suspected items into his hand luggage.
Key Items That Must Go in Hand Luggage
The expert stressed: "The key thing—don't put power banks in your checked luggage; they need to come with you." Other items that typically contain lithium batteries include laptops, tablets, smartphones, smart watches, cameras, music players, electronic cigarettes, and smart baggage tags.
Each airline may have specific rules, so it's advisable to check before flying. Generally, spare batteries and power banks should only be carried in cabin baggage. The Civil Aviation Authority recommends packing them carefully to prevent short circuits—for instance, by returning them to original retail packaging or placing each battery in a separate protective pouch. This protection must also prevent accidental activation or damage during the flight. Some power banks may require prior approval from the airline.
Bhardwaj concluded: "Basically, it's a fear of the batteries catching fire. If you have it on you, in the cabin, in your hand luggage, that's fine because if anything does happen, the crew can deal with it."
