UK CAA Warns Fliers After Hold-Bag Battery Finds Jump to 643
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jun 25
UK CAA Warns Fliers After Hold-Bag Battery Finds Jump to 643
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jun 25
Summary
643 lithium-battery devices were found in UK hold bags in 2025, up from 316 in 2024, prompting the CAA to warn summer travelers not to pack power banks or vapes in checked luggage.
206 overheating or malfunction incidents were reported in 2025 versus 123 a year earlier, and the regulator says lithium batteries are now aviation's top safety risk because fires in the hold may go undetected until too late.
Two lithium-battery incidents now occur each week on average, the CAA said, while passengers are told to carry such devices in the cabin, limit themselves to two power banks and never charge them onboard.
Recent disruptions underline the risk: an EasyJet flight diverted to Rome last month after a power bank was found in the hold, while an October 2025 Air China cabin fire was reportedly caused by a lithium battery.