After a long flight, a shocked look at the smartphone shows that the battery level is low. A power bank can quickly remedy this, so that you don't arrive in another country without a smartphone and find your way around straight away. In the following you will find out the requirements under which you are allowed to take a power bank with you on the plane.
Power banks only in hand luggage
For safety reasons, power banks may not be transported in suitcases that are stowed in the luggage compartment. Power banks are actually nothing more than mobile lithium-ion batteries. Therefore, there is an increased risk of fire from the devices. Fires cannot be discovered quickly enough in the regular luggage compartment and there are insufficient extinguishing capacities there. This is why you have to carry a power bank with you in your hand luggage - just like all other devices that use lithium-ion batteries.
Alternatively, you can use a power bank to check in a piece of luggage as dangerous goods. This is not only much more expensive, but is also simply rejected by some airlines. You must be particularly careful with suitcases with built-in power banks. Either remove the device beforehand or you will have to live with the consequences: If the airport staff finds a power bank in your suitcase checked in as normal luggage, it can quickly happen that the device is disposed of or the suitcase does not go with you on the road..
Note the restrictions on power banks in hand luggage
There are various restrictions on how many power banks can be carried in hand luggage. These depend in part on the requirements of the airport or the airline. Some airlines do not allow more than one power bank per person. Other airports insist that electronic devices such as power banks have a CE mark. Most products that are manufactured according to European standards have such a printed label.
The capacity and performance of your power bank are also important. In general, you can only take power banks with less than 100 Wh (watt hours) with you. As a rule, power banks for smartphones and tablets are not affected by this regulation, but rather devices for charging laptops. Usually the power of a power bank is printed on it, so that you can quickly check an eligibility for the flight. In addition, the following rule of thumb applies:
1,000 mAh * 1 volt = 1 Wh
If the watt hours of your power bank are not specified, you can calculate them from the remaining data..
Caution! Basically, "it is better to be safe than sorry". If you are unsure whether your power bank is allowed at all airports or airlines, check this in good time. In case of doubt, ask the relevant help centers so as not to run into problems during the trip.
