Qatar Airways bans some Anker power banks onboard over safety concerns

What caused the recall of power banks?

According to reports, some models of Anker power banks were flagged as a safety risk due to lithium-ion batteries provided by one of its suppliers.

In June, Anker had acknowledged the issue, while stating that even as the risk of a malfunction is low, the affected models are being recalled as a precautionary measure.

Last month @AnkerOfficial recalled over one million power banks due to an unspecified battery manufacturing issue. We CT scanned 3 recalled power banks and 2 that weren’t recalled to see what’s going on inside. Here’s what we found… pic.twitter.com/A93QZX31sE

— Jon Bruner (@JonBruner) July 21, 2025

What Qatar Airways said

“We kindly ask all passengers to verify any Anker power banks in their possession prior to travel. If your device is part of the recall, it is prohibited from being brought onboard,” Qatar Airways said in a statement.

Emirates bans use of power banks on flights

Earlier, in a related development, another Gulf-based airline, Emirates, had issued rules banning the use of power banks on its flights, effective October 1.

As per Emirates’s revised policy, passengers are allowed to carry one power bank, provided it is rated below 100 watt-hours. The power bank must have a clearly marked capacity rating and must not be stored in overhead compartments. They must be kept in the seat pocket or in a bag under the seat in front of the passenger.