As Australians prepare for the school holidays, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is reminding travellers to keep power banks, spare batteries, vapes and e-cigarettes with them in the aircraft cabin.
CASA’s Pack Right. Safe Flight. campaign is reaching travellers worldwide after aviation authorities in Norway, Finland and the United Kingdom adopted it.
The campaign encourages travellers to plan and understand what can and can’t be packed in checked luggage, well before heading to the airport.
Australian travellers can join the international push for safe holidays by visiting CASA’s Pack Right. Safe Flight website before leaving for the airport.
With most travellers now carrying at least 4 rechargeable (lithium-powered) devices on to planes, these top the list of common items incorrectly packed by passengers and can pose a serious fire risk if packed incorrectly.
‘Spare lithium batteries, e-cigarettes, vapes and power banks must never be packed in checked baggage,’ CASA CEO and Director of Aviation Safety Pip Spence said.
‘They should always be carried in the cabin, where cabin crew are trained to respond if an incident occurs.
‘Electrical devices that need to be plugged into mains power are OK to include in your checked baggage.
‘You can search our website for these and other commonly packed items – including aerosols, sparklers, and cleaning products – to find out whether they can be carried at all, where they should be packed, and what conditions apply.’
Travellers must declare dangerous goods when checking in, whether online or at the airport. Incorrect or misleading declarations can lead to significant penalties or cause flights to be missed.
School holidays are always busy times for airlines and CASA is urging everybody to treat cabin crew members and fellow passengers with respect.
‘When the crew ask you to do things it’s to keep you safe, so please follow their instructions,’ Ms Spence said.
‘This includes making sure you keep your lithium battery devices near you at all times.’
Earlier this year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched the ‘Save a Life, Not a Bag’ safety campaign urging passengers not to delay an evacuation by attempting to retrieve cabin baggage.
The campaign is supported by global safety regulators and reinforces the need for people to follow crew instructions to leave all baggage behind and move quickly to the nearest usable exit.
Media contact: CASA Media 1 300 773 806 [email protected]
September 15 2026 MR2726
.
