On flights operated by the Group’s member airlines, portable battery packs may only be carried in hand luggage. They may not be placed in overhead bins, and they must neither be charged nor used during the flight.
The unified rules, which came into force across all Lufthansa Group airlines on 15 January 2026, are intended to enhance flight safety.
Under the new regulations, passengers may carry a maximum of two power banks per person, each with a capacity of up to 100 Wh (watt-hours). Devices with a capacity between 100 and 160 Wh may only be carried with the prior approval of the respective airline.
Power banks remain prohibited in checked baggage, as are any other batteries or devices containing batteries (e.g. laptops, e-cigarettes, etc.).
Power banks must not be stored in overhead lockers; passengers may keep them in their pockets, in the seat-back pocket, or in hand luggage placed under the seat in front.
Power banks must not be charged from the aircraft’s onboard power supply.
The use of power banks during the flight is prohibited, meaning passengers may not charge electronic devices from them on board. The only exception applies to approved medical devices.
Passengers must also ensure that such devices are not damaged, and that their terminals are protected against short circuits by using appropriate packaging.
Similar rules apply to spare batteries for various electronic devices.
It is also important for passengers to pay attention to a point that has already been part of the pre-departure safety briefing at several airlines for some time: cabin crew must be informed immediately if any device containing a battery becomes unusually hot or starts to emit smoke during the flight.
According to Lufthansa, these measures are aligned with the recommendations of EASA, the FAA, IATA, and ICAO, and respond to experience gained from fires involving lithium batteries.
As previously reported, the Vice President for Operations and Safety of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) stated at the organization’s annual briefing held in Geneva in early December that, among other issues, the growing prevalence of devices equipped with lithium batteries represents one of the most significant challenges to aviation safety.