Starting October 1, Emirates will ban the use of any power bank onboard its flights, even for charging devices. While passengers will still be allowed to carry one power bank under 100 Watt Hours in their hand luggage, they can no longer use it mid-flight or recharge it during the journey.

For many frequent UAE travellers, the change is seen as a safety measure rather than an inconvenience.

Diane Christine Maninang, who frequently travels for work, welcomed the move.“I'm okay with this rule since it's for everyone's safety,” she said.“I recently flew a 14-hour flight to the US and found it very convenient to use the built-in charging ports onboard, so I don't think it will affect my in-flight experience much.”

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"For long-haul journeys, I'll make sure all my devices are fully charged before boarding, and charge them at the airport if needed, and then rely on the aircraft's charging facilities," the head of Research & Development at a private firm in Dubai added.

The Filipina expat, who has called Dubai home for 11 years, describes herself as a“seasoned traveller” and considers the rule“standard practice.” She added that“the safety benefits definitely outweigh the inconvenience,” recalling a time she unknowingly packed a facial device with a built-in battery in her checked luggage - and it passed through without being flagged.

Dubai resident Arfaz Iqbal also supported the rule, citing passenger safety as the priority.“No one wants to be the cause of problems during a flight,” he said.“At airports, there are plenty of charging points, so you can charge your devices before boarding. Alternatively, you can use the aircraft's charging ports instead of carrying power banks.”

The radio presenter recalled being stopped at Kochi Airport in India when security found a small toy with lithium batteries in his checked luggage.“I didn't realise the toy contained batteries. They told me I couldn't keep them in checked baggage and had to place them in my carry-on after declaring them,” he said.

Jane Dale, a British expat who travels frequently for leisure, admitted the rule will require her to be more mindful of battery use while working on flights.“I usually edit my videos onboard, but since planes have charging ports, I'll just use those instead of carrying a power bank,” the 28-year-old content creator said.“It's a safety hazard, so I'll adjust.”

Aviation experts said the restriction addresses real risks. In a recent interview with Khaleej Times, David C., general manager at Emirates Safety Laboratory, explained that lithium-ion batteries in power bank can overheat during use.

Pilot and aviation expert Hans-Georg Rabacher also elaborated that overheating - caused by factors like direct sunlight, poor ventilation, overcharging, or physical damage - can trigger a dangerous reaction called thermal runaway.“This usually starts in one battery cell, which overheats and triggers a chain reaction. The result can be an explosion, toxic gas release, and open flames with temperatures over 1,000°C,” he said.

(With inputs from Nasreen Abdulla)

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