Power bank rules for flights in India after an IndiGo fire forced a diversion
Published · Updated
A passenger's power bank caught fire on a Delhi-Chennai IndiGo flight, which landed in Hyderabad. DGCA rules ban charging from power banks in flight, keep them out of checked bags and cap their size.
Original report
A passenger's power bank caught fire on an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Chennai, and the plane was diverted to Hyderabad, The New Indian Express reported on 11 October 2026. Under India's power bank rules for flights, the DGCA bars passengers from using a power bank to charge devices in flight, and power banks must travel in cabin baggage, never in checked bags, WION and Outlook Traveller reported.
The report we read did not say whether anyone was hurt. The rules below apply on every Indian flight.
The power bank rules, in four lines
Every rule here comes from the DGCA's guidance as reported by WION and Outlook Traveller.
- No charging from a power bank during the flight (DGCA, per WION)
- Power banks go in cabin baggage only, not checked bags
- Up to 100 Wh is allowed (Outlook Traveller)
- 100 to 160 Wh needs the airline's approval, and above 160 Wh is banned (Outlook Traveller)
The IndiGo diversion shows why the in-flight ban exists.
What happened on the IndiGo flight
The Delhi-Chennai flight was diverted to Hyderabad after a passenger's power bank caught fire, The New Indian Express reported. No one involved has been named in the reports we read.
We could not find an official count of power bank incidents on Indian flights this year.
That gap matters, because the rules may change again.
The DGCA is reviewing its guidelines
The DGCA is reviewing its power bank guidelines, Outlook Traveller reported. No date has been given for any change.
Until then, the four rules above stand. Our coverage page groups the reports on the diversion: see how outlets covered it.
What we don't know yet
- Whether anyone was injured on the IndiGo flight
- How many power bank incidents Indian flights have had this year
- What the DGCA review will change, and when
Questions people are asking
Can I use a power bank on a flight in India?
No. The DGCA has banned using power banks to charge devices during flights, WION reported.
Can I put a power bank in checked baggage?
No. Power banks must be carried in cabin baggage only, according to WION and Outlook Traveller.
What size power bank can I take on a flight in India?
Up to 100 Wh is allowed. Between 100 and 160 Wh needs airline approval, and above 160 Wh is banned, Outlook Traveller reported.
Are the power bank rules changing?
The DGCA is reviewing its guidelines, Outlook Traveller reported, but no date has been set.
How we did this
We read The New Indian Express report on the IndiGo diversion and pulled the rules into one checklist from WION and Outlook Traveller. We also searched for a count of this year's power bank incidents on Indian flights and did not find one. Information is as of 11 October 2026.
This story was produced with AI assistance and reviewed, edited and verified by the reporter before publication.
Covered by 63 outlets across the spectrum: 24% left, 44% center, 32% right.
Who is covering this story
- Left-leaning (5): Indian Express, NDTV, The Hindu, The New Indian Express, The Federal
- Center (12): Hindustan Times, Economic Times, ABP Live English, Mint, Moneycontrol, DNA India, Mid-Day, Deccan Herald, Outlook Traveller, Tribune India, Free Press Journal, Business Today
- Right-leaning (7): Times of India, India TV English, Deccan Chronicle, Zee News English, WION, Times Now, Sunday Guardian
Sources
- Delhi-Chennai IndiGo flight diverted to Hyderabad after smoke from 'electronic device’ — Hindustan Times (center) ·
- IndiGo flight makes emergency landing after fire — Economic Times (center) ·
- Delhi-Chennai flight diverted to Hyderabad after smoke detected on board — Times of India (right-leaning) ·
- Power bank fire forces IndiGo Delhi-Chennai flight to land in Hyderabad — Indian Express (left-leaning) ·
- Power Bank Fire On IndiGo Delhi-Chennai Flight: What Rules Say On Carrying Such Gadgets — NDTV (left-leaning) ·
- Smoke Detected In Delhi-Chennai IndiGo Flight, Plane Diverted To Hyderabad; Lands Safely — ABP Live English (center) ·
- Watch | Chennai-bound IndiGo flight diverted to Hyderabad after fire breaks out due to malfunctioning power bank — Mint (center) ·
- Power bank fire sparks mid-air scare on Delhi-Chennai IndiGo flight, plane diverted to Hyderabad — Moneycontrol (center) ·
- Delhi-Chennai IndiGo flight diverted to Hyderabad following smoke onboard — India TV English (right-leaning) ·
- Chennai-bound Indigo flight from Delhi diverted to Hyderabad following 'smoke' onboard, lands safely — The Hindu (left-leaning) ·
- Chennai-bound IndiGo flight diverted to Hyderabad after smoke detected from device in overhead bin — The New Indian Express (left-leaning) ·
- Delhi-Chennai IndiGo flight diverted after mid-air fire, source likely a power bank — The Federal (left-leaning) ·
- Chennai-Bound Indigo Flight Lands in Hyderabad After Fire Triggers Diversion — Deccan Chronicle (right-leaning) ·
- Chennai bound Indigo flight diverted to Hyderabad after powerbank fire — Zee News English (right-leaning) ·
- IndiGo Delhi-Chennai flight diverted to Hyderabad after smoke from passenger device — DNA India (center) ·
- IndiGo Delhi-Chennai flight diverted to Hyderabad after power bank catches fire — Mid-Day (center) ·
- Power bank catches fire mid-air on IndiGo’s Delhi-Chennai flight, aircraft diverted to Hyderabad — The New Indian Express (left-leaning) ·
- Delhi-Chennai IndiGo flight diverted to Hyderabad following 'smoke' onboard, lands safely — Deccan Herald (center) ·
- Power bank catches fire mid-air on IndiGo’s Delhi-Chennai flight, aircraft diverted to Hyderabad — The New Indian Express (left-leaning) ·
- Power Bank Rules For Flights: Limits, Packing & Airline Policies | Outlook Traveller — Outlook Traveller (center) ·
- Dgca prohibits use of power banks for in flight here s all you need to know — WION (right-leaning) ·
- How a power bank forced Chennai-bound IndiGo flight to divert to Hyderabad — Mint (center) ·
- Passenger's device starts smoking, flight diverted — Times of India (right-leaning) ·
- Overhead Bin Catches Fire, Crew Fumbles: IndiGo Passenger Recounts Mid-Air Scare On Delhi-Chennai Flight — Times Now (right-leaning) ·
- Flying With a Power Bank? What to Do, What to Avoid and Why It’s Risky — Times Now (right-leaning) ·
- ‘Drone activity’ near Amritsar airport disrupts flights; 3 diverted to Delhi, Chandigarh — Tribune India (center) ·
- Indigo Delhi-Chennai flight fire: what are the rules for carrying power banks on planes — The Hindu (left-leaning) ·
- Chennai-bound IndiGo flight diverted after passenger’s power bank catches fire | What rules say — Hindustan Times (center) ·
- Indigo Power Bank Fire Flight: Plane Carrying 180 Passengers Makes Emergency Landing After Power Bank Catches Fire Mid-Flight — Sunday Guardian (right-leaning) ·
- British Airways Flight BA2660 Emergency: Aircraft Forced Into Sudden Mid-Air U-Turn Over Cracked Passenger Window — Sunday Guardian (right-leaning) ·
- Chennai bound IndiGo flight diverted to Hyderabad after ablaze onboard: How power banks catch fire on plane? — Mint (center) ·
- Hijack scare aboard Delhi-bound Air India flight with 250 passengers, plane makes emergency landing in Jaipur — India TV English (right-leaning) ·
- MOBIKINS power bank banned on planes in India IndiGo flight fire — Indian Express (left-leaning) ·
- Air India Delhi flight diverted to Jaipur after bomb threat sparks hijack scare, 250 passengers on board safe — DNA India (center) ·
- Air India’s Frankfurt-Delhi flight diverted to Jaipur following bomb threat — Tribune India (center) ·
- Air India Frankfurt-Delhi flight diverted to Jaipur; pilot pressed hijack code — Times of India (right-leaning) ·
- Bomb & hijack threat: Air India flight diverted — Economic Times (center) ·
- Air India’s Frankfurt-Delhi Flight Diverted To Jaipur Following Bomb Threat, Makes Emergency Landing As Security Checks Begin — Free Press Journal (center) ·
- After hijack rumour, Air India Frankfurt-Delhi flight makes emergency landing in Jaipur — Business Today (center) ·
- Frankfurt-Delhi Air India Dreamliner Diverted To Jaipur After Bomb Threat — NDTV (left-leaning) ·