Can I Take a Portable Charger in My Hand Luggage?

Travelling with hand baggage is practical and efficient. On short trips, it enables you to avoid checked baggage. Please note, for safety reasons, certain items may not be carried in your hand baggage. Forbidden items will be confiscated at the airport security check. No exceptions will be made.

The Trump administration ordered nine airlines to stop passengers from bringing most types of electronic devices -- not including smart phones -- into the cabin for U.S.-bound flights. Instead, those devices must now be carried in the hold.

The U.K. government has announced similar restrictions.

The sudden moves, due to concerns about potential terrorist attacks, create a new dilemma both for airline staff and passengers.

What kind of electronic devices are banned?

Smart phones will still be allowed in the cabin. But any electronic devices bigger than that will have to be checked in, either with your luggage or at the gate. That includes laptops, cameras, gaming devices and tablets such as iPads.

U.S. officials say the move is a response to fears that terrorist groups may target passenger planes by smuggling explosive devices in electronic devices. One official said there's no specific plot authorities are aware of, but the U.S. has been considering such a ban for some time.

Intelligence obtained in recent weeks found that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was perfecting techniques for hiding explosives in batteries and battery compartments, according to a U.S. official.

Are portable chargers allowed in hand baggage?

After hearing such news, you may wonder if portable chargers are also included in the banning list. According to an IATA (International Air Transport Association) document, for the ''Transport of Lithium Metal and Lithium Ion Batteries Revised for the 2017 Regulations'', categorically states the following about carrying power banks:

''(Power banks) are portable devices designed to be able to charge consumer devices such as mobile phones and tablets. .....For carriage by passengers, power banks are considered spare batteries and must be individually protected from short-circuit and carried in carry-on baggage only.''

This means you can take portable chargers in your hand baggage, and only in your hand baggage.

What kind of portable chargers (power banks) are allowed?

When in air, one of the most-concerned thing is whether portable chargers are allowed to carry, along with smart phones. According to Announcement of Rules for Air Passengers Carrying Power Bank onto Flights:

"1. Power bank must be carried for personal use.

2. Power bank must only be carried in hand luggage or carried around. It is not allowed to carry power banks in checked luggage.

3. If the rated power is less than 100Wh, power banks can be carried without approval; power banks with the power between 100Wh and 160WH can be carried after approval of air carrier. However, each passenger is only allowed to carry no more than two power banks.

4. It is not allowed to carry the power banks with power higher than 160Wh or the power banks without identified rated power and with rated power unable to be worked out with the marked parameters.”

Normally the output voltage of portable chargers is 5V, so the allowed capacity would be 20Ah (100Wh divided by 5V), which equals to 20000mAh. That means the capacity of power banks within 20000mAh would be applicable. 

The A3 in the market for its capacity, thanks to the use of top quality components. With 10,000 mAh capacity, this little thing can easily extend your phone usage 3-4 times.

The unique charge-through function allows you to charge the external battery while it is charging your devices, a feature rarely seen in external batteries. The A-Series battery will automatically turn itself on when connected to a compatible device for charging, then switch back to standby when charging is complete. And it can maintain up to 95% of its charge after six months without use.

As to its optimal use, Zendure A-Series is compatible with almost all Apple and Android smart phones, tablets and other USB-charged devices.