5 Electronics The TSA Doesn't Allow In Checked Baggage

The majority of people own at least one smartphone, with more owning other battery-powered devices. However, some of us might not know that the lithium batteries found in these devices are actually quite dangerous. In fact, lithium battery fire incidents that happen in-flight jumped by 388% from 2015 to 2023. In fact, a lithium battery fire caused the crash of UPS Flight 6 in 2010, which was a Boeing 747 that was known for carrying huge cargo loads and was carrying several pallets containing batteries.

Due to this, the FAA does not allow passengers to check in devices with lithium batteries on passenger flights. The main reason is that there's no one inside the plane's cargo hold that can visually monitor it to spot smoke and flames and extinguish a fire should one occur. Furthermore, unlike what you see in the movies, the cargo hold is physically separate from the rest of the cabin, so if a fire breaks out in the cargo hold and the onboard fire suppression system fails to extinguish it, no one could reach the fire to stop it from spreading.

Also, note that it's the FAA that set these rules that prevents passengers from checking in these electronic devices. The TSA just works with the agency to ensure that these gadgets do not slip through security and get on board the airplane's cargo hold.

Power banks and spare batteries are quite dangerous because they contain lithium; a highly reactive metal when exposed to water. If their internals get wet, even through moisture, they could start to smoke, catch fire, and sometimes even explode. When this happens, they could cause other nearby batteries to do the same, setting off an uncontrolled chain reaction.

Some batteries could also spontaneously experience thermal runaway, often caused by manufacturing defects, damage, and/or mishandling. When thermal runaway happens to a battery, it will get extremely hot, and in some cases, cause it to catch fire. It could then cause other materials around it, like clothes, to burn. If another battery happens to be nearby, it will add more fuel to the fire.

This is why passengers must put these objects in their carry-on bags. If a power bank catches fire in the cabin, the crew could easily spot it and run the procedures to deal with it. Furthermore, you can only bring power banks that are up to 100Wh capacity without prior airline notification. You can bring two spare batteries up to 160Wh, but you'll have to get airline approval beforehand.

While the lithium batteries inside most smartphones and tablets are much smaller than what you find on power banks, they're still equally dangerous if not treated properly. The Samsung Note 7 fiasco highlighted the dangers that smartphone batteries have, when brand-new devices spontaneously caught fire and sometimes exploded due to a design flaw. Aside from that, smartphones are used many times daily, making them more likely to be dropped and have other accidental damage.

The fact that smartphones and tablets are so common potentially makes them more dangerous than power banks. Let's take a look at the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, the two most common passenger airliners, as an example. These jets typically have a maximum capacity of around 200 passengers. If everyone on board has a phone and just 25% puts them in their checked luggage, that's 50 unattended phones stored in the belly of the plane.

Even if just one of those 50 phones in the passenger's luggage starts to overheat and causes a fire, it puts all passengers and crew at risk. And when you multiply that by the thousands of flights that happen daily, then it's a statistical probability that a passenger plane will experience a cargo hold fire triggered by a smartphone.

Some people who don't want to carry a lot of stuff into the cabin and don't plan to use their laptop may want to put it in their checked luggage. However, this is also prohibited — again because of its battery. Laptops typically have larger batteries than smartphones, even the thin-and-light ones like the M3 MacBook Air we reviewed.

In fact, there have already been several instances of laptops catching on fire while on a plane. Even when laptops are put in a carry-on bag and stowed in the overhead compartment, put under the seat, or even stuffed in the seat pocket, it's still possible for it to catch fire. One report from February 2023 had a United Airlines flight from San Diego flying back to the airport shortly after takeoff when a laptop in the cabin caught fire. Thankfully, there were no fatalities during the incident, although four crew members had to be taken to the hospital as a precaution.

Even if your laptop is in perfectly good condition, you still don't want to put such a fragile device inside your checked bag where it could get damaged during handling. If this happens, the likelihood that its battery will catch fire will definitely increase.

If you're a millennial or older, you probably remember playing games on your Game Boy, which used four AA-sized batteries. However, today's handheld gaming consoles are much more powerful, with some examples like the Asus ROG Ally X and the Lenovo Legion Go offering better specifications than some computers. Because of this, they are now powered by lithium batteries similar to ones you find on tablets and laptops.

That's why handheld consoles are prohibited from being put in checked luggage. Besides, you'd probably want to have these gaming consoles with you in the cabin during the flight so you can play games while in the air. Note that this only applies to handheld gaming consoles that come with built-in batteries. If you're traveling with your PS5 or Xbox Series X, you're free to put it in your bag and check it in the counter — we don't suggest doing this, though, as they might get damaged (or stolen) in transit.

But if you're concerned about your stuff getting lost, you can put AirTags in your checked luggage to help locate them. There even have been reports that a few airlines like United, Delta, and Air Canada now let you share your bag's AirTag location with them to help find your misplaced bags, with more carriers expected to get into the program.

Smoking, including the use of electronic cigarettes, isn't allowed on all commercial passenger flights. Because of that, it just makes sense for you to put your e-cigarette in your check-in luggage and just take it out after you land. However, the FAA prohibits this because e-cigarettes use lithium batteries for power. 

Aside from that, the agency says that passengers who bring electronic cigarettes with them must take effective measures to deactivate the device and prevent the accidental activation of its heating element. So, if you're traveling with your electronic cigarette or vape, the FAA recommends that you physically remove its battery and safely store it separately to avoid accidental activations.

The rule of thumb with electronic devices and commercial flying is that as long as it has a battery, it should go with you in the cabin. That way, if ever something goes wrong with any of your gadgets, you and the flight crew could immediately do something to prevent it from turning into a fire and becoming a full-blown catastrophe.