The southwestern airlines will require travelers to keep portable charging devices out during flights

SouthWest Airlines has announced that it will require keeping all mobile devices charging devices in the sight of all flights while using them. The new policy comes after a number of Lithium Ion batteries on flights all over the world Last years.

The new policy will start on May 28 and will require all southwestern travelers to ensure that there are no portable charger, including power banks and cell phone battery charges, in public boxes or even inside a bag below the seat in front of them, while using them.

The airline told Gizmodo in a statement sent via e -mail: “The use of portable charging devices while storing it in a bag or upper box will not be allowed.” “There is nothing more important for the southwest of the safety of its customers and employees.”

Gizmodo told that it is okay to keep your mobile charger in your portable bag if it is not connected to anything else. But any charger should be kept in active use, including the charger that may be connected to the phone in the form of a box, visible to the entire trip.

TSA already prohibits rechargeable and non -operating lithium batteries for phones and laptops from the checked luggage. The luggage is fine, but the southwestern airlines will soon require that these shipping devices be outside all bags and visible while using it during the flight period.

It is not clear whether other US -based airlines will follow Southwest’s progress, but other airlines around the world have been abandoning lithium -ion batteries in an attempt to fight fire risks. as Associated Press Notes, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airlines are already prohibited to use portable charging devices on all flights. Korean airlines also prohibit portables from upper boxes.

The average American passenger brings four different rechargeable devices with them on a trip, according to UL standards and participation The research group, with the presence of the most common devices are smartphones (82 %), laptops (41 %), wireless headphones (39 %), and tablets (36 %). The most common incidents were caused by Vaping devices, which represent 35 % of all accidents on flights in 2023, while power banks were reported 16 % of all reported accidents.

“Aviation sets are trained to identify and respond to the lithium battery fires in the cabin,” FAA explains on its website. “Passengers should notify the flight crew immediately if the lithium battery or their device is in high temperature, expansion, smoking or combustion.”

actually. If you see something burning on your trip, battery, or otherwise, please tell the flight crew. This is generally good.