New Safety Measures for Power Banks on Flights - Effective 15 December 2025
The Qantas Group will introduce new restrictions on the use of portable power banks across all Qantas, QantasLink, and Jetstar flights. This change comes in response to the increasing use of power banks by passengers and the related safety risks posed by damaged or defective lithium battery-powered devices.
These changes follow a thorough internal safety review conducted by the airline in recent months. The review also included collaboration with other industry stakeholders, including Virgin Australia, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and Oneworld carriers.
Additionally, these measures align with planned updates from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which are expected in 2026. The goal is to address the growing concerns related to lithium battery incidents within the aviation industry.
Policy Details and Pre-Departure Notifications
To enhance safety during flights, passengers will be required to keep power banks and other portable electronic devices within easy reach. This allows the crew to respond quickly in the unlikely event of an issue arising during the flight.
Passengers traveling after 15 December 2025 will receive pre-departure notifications about these updated measures. To ensure these notifications are received, customers should verify that their contact details are correct when making bookings.
"The policy update follows a comprehensive safety review and is informed by upcoming changes from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 2026."
These policy adjustments are a direct response to the rise in lithium battery-related incidents across the aviation sector and are part of a broader effort to ensure passenger safety on all flights.
Summary
New restrictions on the use of power banks will be enforced starting 15 December 2025 to improve flight safety, in response to growing lithium battery-related risks in aviation.