All these everyday electronic devices are powered by lithium batteries
A pilot holding an AvSax lithium battery fire mitigation bag
The confined space of an aircraft passenger cabin at 35,000ft is the last place you'd want a lithium fire to break out
The UK Civil Aviation Authority logo urging plane passengers to Pack Right for a Safe Flight
Power banks should never be charged on aircraft
The fire risk posed by lithium batteries is now the number one safety risk to aircraft with two incidents happening on aircraft every week, according to the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
The organisation, which regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the UK, has revealed that a fire in an aircraft hold caused by an overheating lithium battery inside a suitcase could “result in a fire that may be impossible to contain.’’
In short, lithium battery fires are so intense and burn at such a high temperature that sprinkler systems in aircraft holds may not be able to douse them and the fire could spread, ultimately bringing the plane down.
The CAA also reveals that with the average person now taking four different lithium powered devices on trips, there could be more than 2,000 on a busy Airbus A380 flight.
It warns that far too many passengers have little idea about lithium battery safety and the potential for them to spark fires on aircraft and that rechargeable lithium batteries, such as power banks and vapes, can cause an uncontrollable fire if packed in checked baggage.
Ahead of the big summer getaway where over 60 million people are expected to be flying, the CAA is telling all passengers to “pack right for a safe flight” by taking their lithium batteries into the cabin with them.
Passengers are being told to take items like mobile phones, vapes and power banks on board with them and never charge a power bank on a flight.
Getting it wrong could lead to bags being removed from the flight causing significant delays or even worse, result in a fire that may be impossible to contain.
Giancarlo Buono, Director of Aviation Safety at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “Flying is by far the safest way to travel and we want to keep it that way. Pack right for a safe flight and that means don’t put your batteries in your checked bag. Take them into the cabin with you.’’
The warning comes as new data reveals the scale of the risk with lithium battery incidents now happening at around two every week. Civil Aviation Authority figures show reports of overheating or malfunctioning passenger devices nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025, following a 98% year-on-year increase. Cases of lithium battery-powered devices being incorrectly packed in checked baggage also rose by 91% in 2025.
Over a third (36%) of travellers are unaware of the dangers of packing batteries in checked baggage even though 92% fly with a mobile phone, 55% with a laptop and 49% with a power bank. This suggests hundreds of batteries could be incorrectly packed on a typical flight.
Power banks and vapes are some of the highest risk items and must always be taken into the cabin by passengers and they must never charge the power bank onboard the aircraft.
Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK, said: “As the number of electronic devices we use increases, the risk of lithium battery incidents is a growing challenge.
“While pilots and cabin crew are trained to deal with any situation, the best outcome is always prevention which starts when passengers pack their bags.
“Electronic devices like tablets, power banks and vapes belong in your hand luggage, not the hold.’’
When lithium batteries overheat or are damaged they go into thermal runaway and when this happens one cell in a battery overheats it can produce enough heat – up to 900°C (1652°F) – to cause adjacent cells to overheat.
The heat generated by chemical reactions inside the battery causes even more heat, leading to a continuous rise in temperature. This can result in the battery venting and releasing toxic flammable gases, exploding or catching fire and, because they burn at such a high temperature, they are very difficult to put out.
This is why more than 100 airline companies worldwide now carry around 17,000 AvSax lithium battery fire mitigation bags on board to deal with these emergencies quickly, stifling the fire and toxic smoke.
The AvSax won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the UK for its innovation - the highest accolade any business can achieve - and every time an AvSax has been deployed the aircraft has been able to continue to its final destination, saving the need for costly and highly disruptive diversions and emergency landings.
AvSax were devised by Richard Bailey, managing director of AvSax parent company Environmental Defence Systems based in Yorkshire, England.
He said: “The number of lithium battery fires shows the ever-pressing need for AvSax fire mitigation bags which gives airline management and crew peace of mind every time they take to the air.
“The danger of lithium batteries now means they have become part of the pre-flight safety briefing with crew advising passengers to let them know immediately if their personal electronic device such as a laptop, battery charger, mobile phone, iPad or vape becomes hot or starts to emit smoke.
“The AvSax is made from a military grade material and the process is designed to continually cool the overheating or burning batteries as they are always in danger of reigniting even if they have seemingly been put out.’’
For more information on AvSax go to https://avsax.com
