This common travel habit is now banned on American Airlines flights

"American Airlines is requiring customers to keep portable chargers easily accessible during flight to support safety on board while ensuring the ability to charge devices."

"The new policy prohibits batteries from being stored in the overhead compartments and outlines the power capacity allowed for portable chargers, capping it at 100 watt-hours."

"According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there have been at least 717 lithium battery incidents in the last couple of decades, 548 of which occurred in passenger aircrafts."

"While slightly inconvenient to passengers who travel with portable batteries, many users online highlighted the importance of implementing such rules."

American Airlines is implementing a new policy limiting passengers to two portable chargers on flights, effective May 1. Chargers must remain visible at all times to ensure safety and allow flight attendants to respond to incidents. The policy prohibits storing batteries in overhead compartments and caps their power capacity at 100 watt-hours. This decision follows numerous incidents involving lithium batteries on aircraft, with 548 incidents reported in passenger planes. Other airlines, like Southwest, have also introduced similar restrictions.

Read at Fast Company