In an effort to curb the growing number of safety incidents in the sky, American Airlines announced drastic changes to its policy for passengers traveling with electronic devices.

Starting this Friday, May 1, the Texas-based airline will impose strict limits on the use and transport of portable chargers and lithium-ion batteries.

lithium, joining a trend that is already standard in the US airline industry.

The new regulations stipulate that travelers may only carry a maximum of two portable chargers per person, and each must have a capacity not exceeding 100 watt-hours. This measure represents a significant tightening of the previous rules, which allowed up to four units under certain power conditions.

Safety at hand and out of the overhead compartments

The change not only limits the number of devices, but also their strategic placement within the cabin. According to the airline, chargers must always be within the passenger's reach or in sight of the flight crew while in use. Storing them in the overhead compartments, where a potential fire or overheating could go unnoticed by the crew, is strictly prohibited.

“We know our customers rely on these devices, but to ensure safety on board, we require that they be easily accessible,” the company stated in a press release. Furthermore, recharging these external batteries using the aircraft's power outlets is strictly prohibited, a common practice now considered an unnecessary risk. The airline noted that most of its seats already have integrated charging ports, so the use of external batteries should be minimal. The invisible danger: Nearly 100 incidents in the last year. The urgency of these measures is not accidental. Data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is alarming:In 2025, nearly 100 incidents involving smoke, fire, or extreme heat caused by lithium batteries were recorded on commercial flights. So far in 2026, an additional 32 cases have already been reported. One of the most serious incidents that prompted this precaution occurred in January 2025 on an Air Busan flight, where a faulty battery caused a fire that pierced the aircraft's roof, forcing an emergency evacuation. American Airlines is not the only one taking precautions. Southwest Airlines recently went further, limiting its customers to one battery per person. Delta Air Lines will also adopt the two-charger limit starting in May, aligning itself with national security concerns. For the travel community, especially in tech-driven cities like Los Angeles, this measure implies a change in habits. Experts recommend checking the tags on your devices before arriving at the airport to prevent your accessories from ending up in TSA security storage. The priority is clear: to prevent a simple pocket accessory from becoming a deadly threat at 30,000 feet.