Can power banks and handheld vacuum cleaners be checked in? 8 key points you must know about traveling with lithium batteries

▲Wireless vacuum cleaners, which are popular among Taiwanese travelers, also contain internal lithium batteries. (Photo / Reporter Li Zhongquan)

Reporter Chen Ruizhong / Taipei Reporting

Recently, an incident occurred where a passenger's power bank self-ignited during a flight, causing many to fear carrying "lithium batteries" on board. In fact, airlines and aviation authorities worldwide have clear regulations regarding lithium batteries, and passengers must comply with these rules to ensure flight safety.

Lithium batteries are commonly found in smartphones, power banks, and laptops, and have become an integral part of modern life. To help travelers understand how to carry lithium batteries on flights and whether different types should be carried on hand or checked in, ETtoday Travel Cloud has compiled 8 frequently asked questions about lithium batteries to help travelers better understand the precautions when bringing them on board.

1. What kind of lithium batteries are most commonly found in luggage?
According to the experience of the Aviation Police Bureau,items such as spare phone batteries, digital camera batteries, and power banks are the most common types of lithium batteries found in luggage.Airlines will also double-check whether there are lithium batteries in passengers' luggage before checking in. It is recommended that passengers store lithium batteries in their carry-on baggage in advance to avoid having to remove them during security checks. Carrying them improperly may result in heavy fines or even imprisonment.

▲Power banks are common spare lithium batteries and must be carried on hand — they cannot be checked in. (Photo / Reporter Hong Shengyi)

2. Why do airlines strictly regulate the use of lithium batteries?
Although lithium batteries are convenient,they can easily short-circuit and catch fire when subjected to strong external pressure or puncture,and the higher the electrical power, the greater the energy produced, posing a serious threat to flight safety. This is why airlines enforce such strict regulations. The Aviation Police Bureau’s Security Inspection Division also advises passengers not to purchase lithium batteries from unverified sources or those without qualified inspection marks.

3. What are the airline regulations regarding lithium batteries?
The correct term for lithium batteries is "lithium-ion batteries." All lithium batteries — whether checked in, carried on, in person, or as spares — must be handled according to International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations. Any lithium battery exceeding 160 watt-hours (Wh) or 2 grams of lithium content (LC) must be declared for transport and cannot be checked in. For those under 160 Wh or 2 grams LC, individual airline policies determine whether they can be carried on or checked in. Spare lithium batteries between 100Wh and 160Wh must be declared to the airline and notified to security personnel, and can only be carried on board with the airline’s approval.

4. How can I carry lithium batteries on a flight?
Lithium batteries are generally categorized into small, medium, and large types. Common devices such as mobile phones, cameras, and laptops usually use small lithium batteries under 100 watt-hours / 2 grams of lithium content. Power banks are typically small to medium-sized lithium batteries.
Small lithium batteries must be carried in hand luggage and placed inside the device (e.g., a phone or camera). Loose spare batteries or power banks must also be carried by hand and protected using insulating tape, plastic covers, or battery cases to ensure safety. Spare electronic lithium batteries between 100Wh and 160Wh can only be carried on board with the airline’s approval, but power banks must not exceed 100Wh.
Some airlines may allow small lithium batteries to be checked in if placed inside devices, but there are strict capacity limits and insulation protection requirements. The number of lithium batteries each person can carry depends on individual airline policies.

▲Digital cameras also use lithium batteries, and spare batteries must be carried on board.

5. Power banks are also lithium batteries — how should they be carried on board?
High-capacity power banks fall under the category of "medium-sized spare lithium batteries,"and can only be carried on hand — they cannot be checked in. The number must not exceed two (for spare batteries between 100Wh and 160Wh, airline approval is required). They must also meet insulation protection standards. Additionally, power banks claiming capacities of 50,000mAh or more exceed the upper limit set for lithium batteries and cannot be carried on board. Also,, which must also comply with the regulations on source protection. Additionally, power banks on the market claiming a capacity of over 50,000mAh exceed the upper limit set for lithium batteries and must not be carried on board without permission. Also,power banks with unclear capacity labels are prohibited by airlines..

6. Handheld vacuum cleaners contain lithium batteries but are bulky — should they be checked in or carried on?
Many travelers enjoy buying handheld vacuum cleaners abroad.Although lithium batteries are used, they comply with the "contained in equipment" regulation, and if their size exceeds that of carry-on luggage,they can therefore be checked in as baggage.However, during security screening, security personnel may still ask you to open the bag again to confirm compliance with safety regulations.

7. What about electric wheelchairs that also use lithium batteries? How can they be taken on board?
Electric wheelchairs use large lithium batteries, so if you have mobility issues and need to use an electric wheelchair, you can register with the airline in advance and follow the airline’s procedures for disassembly and checked baggage. However, electronic devices such as electric scooters, unicycles, and self-balancing boards that use large lithium batteries are prohibited from being brought on board by airlines.

▲Electric scooters using large lithium batteries are prohibited from being checked in as baggage by airlines. (Photo / Screenshot from YouTube Ben Schmanke)

8. How should watt-hours (Wh) and mAh (milliampere-hours) be converted?
Some countries use watt-hours as the regulation standard, while some lithium batteries only indicate milliampere-hours. The conversion formula is "watt-hours = (milliampere-hours / 1000) * voltage."
Taking a commonly available 16000mAh, 3.6V power bank as an example, it would be 16000 / 1000 * 3.6 = 57.6 watt-hours, which falls under the category of small spare lithium batteries under 100 watt-hours and must be carried on board. A power bank claiming 50000mAh, on the other hand, reaches up to 180 watt-hours, and thus is not allowed on board.