The number of lithium battery devices found in hold luggage on UK flights has nearly doubled in a year – prompting a fresh warning from the aviation regulator ahead of the school summer holidays.
In 2024, 316 incidents of devices with lithium batteries detected in hold bags were reported to UK authorities. That rose to 643 in 2025. Reports of devices overheating or malfunctioning also nearly doubled over the same period, from 123 to 206.
“Lithium battery incidents in plane hold bags nearly doubled in a year, CAA warns”
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says lithium battery fires are now the number one safety risk to aircraft. The average person now takes four different lithium-powered devices on a flight, including laptops, vapes, power banks, mobile phones and smart watches.
The batteries store huge amounts of energy in a small space. If they overheat or are defective, a fire can result which spreads very quickly and is hard to control. The CAA says around two lithium battery incidents are now occurring each week.
Most problems occur in the cabin, where crew can deal with them. But the concern is that if a fire starts in the hold, it may not be discovered until it is too late to control it. Bags may have to be removed from the hold, causing delays. Planes can even be diverted: last month an EasyJet flight had to divert to Rome because a power bank had been packed in the hold. In October, video was widely shared of flames belching from the overhead storage compartment of an Air China flight, reportedly caused by a lithium battery.
The CAA believes many passengers still are not aware of the rules. Ahead of the school summer holidays, which begin in Scotland this week, people are being reminded to take devices in the cabin with them. Only two power banks per person are allowed on a flight, and they can never be charged onboard. Laptops must be turned off completely if put in check-in bags.
Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK, says the risk of lithium battery incidents was a “growing challenge” as the number of electronic devices people use increases. “Whilst pilots and cabin crew are trained to deal with any situation, the best outcome is always prevention, which starts when passengers pack their bags,” he said.
Giuseppe Capanna, a product safety engineer at the campaigning charity Electrical Safety First, said lithium batteries carry enormous amounts of energy. The warning comes as the summer travel period begins, with the regulator urging passengers to pack responsibly.