Big news for travelers flying with Turkish Airlines or Pegasus – if you’re someone who always keeps a powerbank in your carry-on, there’s an important update you’ll want to know.
It all started with a recent incident on an Asiana Airlines flight from Istanbul to Seoul. A passenger’s powerbank slipped between the seats, triggering a safety scare so serious that the plane had to make an emergency landing back in Istanbul while flying over Kazakhstan. While it didn’t lead to a fire, it raised major concerns over in-flight safety and battery-powered devices.
This isn’t an isolated worry either. The Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, pointed out that a similar powerbank-related fire actually broke out on a flight in South Korea not too long ago. To prevent such risks in Turkish airspace, the Civil Aviation Authority advised airlines to take action—and they listened.
Following this advice, Pegasus Airlines has now officially banned the use of powerbanks during flights. You can still bring them in your hand luggage, but turning them on mid-flight? Not anymore. Turkish Airlines has taken it a step further with other lithium battery-related precautions. They’re warning passengers that smart luggage with non-removable lithium batteries can no longer be brought on board—whether it’s in the cabin or checked in as cargo.
If your smart suitcase has a removable battery, you’re still good to go, but the battery must be removed before the flight and carried separately in your cabin bag. And no—don’t plan on popping it back in before landing. Once it’s out, it stays out for the whole journey.
Ultimately, these new measures aren’t meant to inconvenience travelers but to protect them. Lithium batteries, while useful, can become dangerous when damaged, overheated, or improperly stored. So even though you might miss having your powerbank handy mid-flight, these new safety rules are here to keep everyone on board safe.
Bottom line: next time you fly with Pegasus or Turkish Airlines, keep your powerbank powered off—and enjoy your flight with peace of mind.
