In a rare move that actually puts passenger safety ahead of political correctness or corporate wokeness, Southwest Airlines is taking proactive steps to prevent mid-air disasters—by cracking down on the real threat posed by lithium battery-powered devices.
Starting May 28, the low-cost airline will implement a new policy requiring passengers to keep portable phone chargers—better known as power banks — in plain sight during flights. The devices, which run on lithium-ion batteries, have been linked to a string of dangerous in-flight incidents involving overheating and fires.
“Using portable charging devices while stored in a bag or overhead bin will no longer be permitted,” a Southwest spokesperson announced. “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its customers and employees.”
It’s about time.
While the mainstream media downplays the risks, the data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) doesn’t lie. In 2025 alone, there have already been 19 battery-related incidents on U.S. flights—and the year’s not even half over. That follows a record 89 lithium-battery fire incidents in 2024. These aren’t minor mishaps. These are potential mid-air catastrophes waiting to happen.
In one shocking March incident, a flight from Malaysia to Thailand was thrown into chaos when a power bank burst into flames in an overhead bin, filling the cabin with smoke and endangering everyone on board. This isn’t science fiction—this is real, preventable danger.
Southwest is the first American carrier to implement such a commonsense policy, though others around the world have taken similar or even stricter measures. Korean Airlines now requires passengers to carry their power banks in plastic bags or insulate the ports to prevent contact with metal. Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways have outright banned their use during flight. Australia’s Qantas only allows them in carry-on bags—not checked luggage.
Meanwhile, the FAA and TSA are also waking up to the risk. The FAA recently updated its guidance to ban lithium battery-powered chargers from all checked baggage, requiring passengers to remove them and keep them in the cabin. These guidelines also call for battery terminals to be protected from short-circuiting—something far too few travelers are even aware of, let alone prepared for.
Let’s be honest: this is the sort of pragmatic, adult leadership we used to expect from our institutions. In an era when too many federal agencies and corporations are distracted by identity politics and DEI checklists, it’s refreshing to see someone prioritize basic public safety.
Southwest’s move isn’t about convenience—it’s about protecting the flying public from real danger. With over 180,000 flights per week crisscrossing the skies in the U.S. alone, the last thing we need is to ignore preventable hazards in favor of political theater.
For once, it looks like common sense is coming in for a landing. Other airlines would do well to follow Southwest’s lead before a flaming battery turns an airplane cabin into a deathtrap.
