Southwest Airlines Will Require Passengers to Keep Portable Chargers Out During Flights

Southwest Airlines announced it will require all portable device chargers to be kept in plain sight during all flights while they’re in use. The new policy comes after a number of lithium-ion batteries fires on flights worldwide in recent years. The new policy will start May 28 and will require all Southwest passengers to make sure they don’t have any portable chargers, including power banks and cell phone battery charging cases, in overhead bins or even just inside a bag in under the seat in front of them, while they’re in use. “Using portable charging devices while stored in a bag or overhead bin will no longer be permitted,” the airline told Gizmodo in an emailed statement. “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of its Customers and Employees.” The airline told Gizmodo that it’s okay to keep your portable charger in your carry-on bag if it’s not connected to anything else. But any charger in active use, including one that may be connected to the phone in the form ... Read full article.