“We Have Enough Problems with Unruly Passengers Already.” The NEW Southwest Airlines RULE You Have To Follow

ATTENTION TRAVELERS: Southwest Airlines has announced a MAJOR rule change that could affect one of the most popular categories of travel accessories.

©Southwest Airlines

Beginning on May 28th, passengers on Southwest flights are required to keep portable phone chargers and power banks visible while in use during flights, with the use of said devices prohibited while they’re stored in carry-on bags or overhead bins. The objective of the move is an attempt to mitigate the risk of fire fueled by lithium-ion batteries, which power the banks by keeping them in sight so any overheating issues can quickly extinguished.

Southwest released a statement to CNET about the new policy, saying “Southwest will introduce a first-in-industry safety policy on May 28th requiring customers to keep portable charging devices visible while in use during flight. Using portable charging devices while stored in a bag or overhead bin will no longer be permitted. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees.”

Southwest’s new rule comes on the heels of several major incidents in recent year. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there were a record 89 lithium-ion battery-related events on flights in 2024, and over 20 more in 2025 so far.

©Amazon

In addition, in January of 2025 there was a highly publicized lithium-ion-related fire on a South Korean Air Busan flight that led to the evacuation of 176 people, including passengers and crew. In that case, the plane had been waiting to take off. Had it been in the air, the situation could have been much worse. That Air Busan incident has led to new policies on Asia-based carriers, including Singapore Airlines, AirAsia and all South Korean airlines, almost all of which are similar to Southwest’s new rule.

These airline rules actually go further than the official guidelines of the  FAA and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). While these agencies do currently require lithium-powered devices, like power banks in carry-on luggage and prohibit them in checked bags, they do NOT mandate that portable chargers be kept in plain sight while in use.

©Anker

According to a spokesperson for Southwest, the airline plans to alert customers about the policy before their flight and ask for their compliance.

David Wroth, who studies the risks for safety-science company UL Standards & Engagement and works with 37 airlines and battery manufacturers to minimize potential risks, argues that Southwest’s approach to customers is probably for the best. As he put it, “Ultimately, it comes down to a lot of personal responsibility that we as passengers have to take. We have enough problems with unruly passengers already. And having cabin crew confront somebody over bringing something on board is not likely to be a good situation as well.”

©Southwest Airlines

If you’re flying Southwest after May 28th, anytime you use a lithium-ion charger or power battery, you’ll need to keep it within sight of the flight crew at all times. Stay tuned to DFB for more on the airline industry.

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