How to pack your hand luggage
A power bank, a laptop and a bottle of shampoo may all be travel essentials, but they do not follow the same baggage rules. Knowing what belongs in the cabin, what can go in the hold and what needs approval can help passengers avoid problems at the airport. Qazinform News Agency explains how to pack hand luggage, check power bank restrictions and prepare everyday items for a flight.
Before packing, check the rules of the airline operating each flight and the security requirements at departure and transfer airports. Permission to carry an item does not necessarily mean permission to use it on board.
Keep power banks in the cabin
Power banks and spare lithium batteries must be carried in hand luggage, not checked baggage.
Lithium batteries can overheat or catch fire if damaged or short-circuited. Keeping them in the cabin allows crew members to respond if something goes wrong.
This rule also matters at the boarding gate. If staff take your cabin bag to place it in the aircraft’s hold, remove your power bank and spare batteries before handing it over.
Check the capacity before travelling
The key figure on a power bank is its energy rating in watt-hours, written as Wh.
Power banks rated at up to 100 Wh are generally permitted in cabin baggage without prior airline approval, subject to the carrier’s other restrictions.
For devices above 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh, do not assume that carriage is allowed. IATA’s guidance for 2026 explains that ICAO provisions allow these power banks with airline approval, but a carrier can apply stricter limits. Contact the operating airline before travelling.
If the label shows only milliampere-hours, or mAh, the battery voltage is also needed to calculate its energy capacity:
For example, a 20,000 mAh battery rated at 3.7 volts has an energy capacity of 74 Wh. A 30,000 mAh battery at the same voltage has a capacity of 111 Wh.
Do not assume you can charge devices during the flight
Carrying a power bank and using it on board are separate matters.
ICAO introduced new specifications effective March 27, 2026, limiting power banks to two per passenger and prohibiting passengers from recharging them during flights. This includes plugging a power bank into an aircraft’s charging outlet.
IATA’s implementation guidance also recommends against using power banks to recharge phones or other portable electronics on board. Some airlines make this a firm prohibition. FlyArystan, for example, states that passengers must not use power banks to charge other devices during the flight.
Charge your devices before boarding and follow the crew’s instructions on using and storing electronics.
Protect batteries from damage
Keep each power bank or spare battery protected against short circuits. Original packaging, a suitable protective pouch or insulation over exposed battery terminals can help prevent contact with metal objects.
Do not travel with a swollen or damaged battery. Check whether the manufacturer has recalled your device because of a fire risk.
If a battery becomes unusually hot, expands or starts smoking during the flight, alert the cabin crew immediately.
Keep phones and laptops with you
IATA recommends carrying phones, laptops, cameras and other lithium-powered devices in hand luggage. Its passenger guidance also advises removing lithium batteries and electronic devices if a cabin bag is taken at the gate for transport in the hold.
Where an airline permits a device with an installed battery in checked baggage, the FAA says it must be completely switched off and protected against damage and accidental activation. Sleep or hibernation mode is not sufficient.
This does not create an exception for power banks or spare batteries, which must remain in the cabin.
Check the container, not just the liquid inside
Liquids must be carried in containers of no more than 100 millilitres each, with a combined volume of no more than one litre per passenger.
The container’s capacity matters. A half-full 200 ml bottle still exceeds a 100 ml container limit.
Liquids include more than drinks. Creams, gels, toothpaste and other pastes may also fall under security restrictions.
Requirements can differ between airports. While many retain the 100 ml container limit, some allow larger containers. Exceptions may apply to essential medicines, baby food and special dietary requirements.
What cannot go in checked baggage
Not everything prohibited in hand luggage can be transported in checked baggage.
Explosives, fireworks, flammable liquids such as gasoline and acetone, toxic substances, corrosive chemicals and radioactive materials are prohibited in both checked and carry-on baggage. Restrictions also apply to compressed gases and other hazardous materials.
Some items, however, are allowed only in the cabin. Power banks, spare lithium batteries and electronic cigarettes must not be placed in checked baggage because of fire safety risks.
Knives, sharp objects and certain tools should generally be packed in checked baggage, subject to airline regulations. Some toiletries and medical items are permitted under specific conditions.
Earlier, on October 11, an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Chennai was forced to divert to Hyderabad after a passenger’s power bank caught fire in an overhead luggage compartment. The cabin crew managed to extinguish the fire, and the aircraft landed safely. No injuries were reported. The incident once again raised concerns about the safety of lithium-ion batteries on board aircraft.