A power bank’s capacity is not the only packing rule. Ireland’s aviation regulator highlights a 2026 change that may be missing from older passenger tables: only two power banks per passenger, with recharging a power bank onboard prohibited.

We read the IAA’s current passenger page and both its dated guidance notices. The practical check has four parts: quantity, capacity, baggage location and onboard use. Passing one does not establish that all four are satisfied.

Read the effective update

The IAA’s dangerous-goods passenger page warns that the January 2026 IATA table is less restrictive than the current ICAO requirements on power-bank quantity. It says the table is not due to reflect that change until January 2027.

IAA DG Info 004, dated 14 April 2026, identifies the rules effective from 27 March: two power banks per passenger and no recharging of power banks onboard. It also recommends that power banks should not charge other devices onboard. That recommendation is distinct from the explicit prohibition on recharging the power bank itself; an airline may impose stricter restrictions.

Do not rely on an old statement about a larger general allowance for spare batteries as permission to bring that many power banks.

Capacity still needs checking

IAA DG Info 002, revision 2, dated 6 May 2026, includes the battery-capacity table and the new power-bank exception. Check the actual product’s watt-hour rating and the airline’s current policy before travelling, particularly for a larger pack that may require approval.

For a calculation example only, 10,000mAh is 10Ah; at a stated battery voltage of 3.7V that equals 37Wh. Do not automatically use a USB output voltage or assume every product has that battery voltage. Manufacturer documentation and the readable product rating matter; the example is not airline approval for an unlabelled device.

Pack for the gate as well as the check-in desk

The IAA says power banks are forbidden in checked baggage. Keep them in the cabin and protected against short circuits. If a cabin bag is taken for hold loading at the gate, remove the power banks first and follow staff instructions.

Check the operating airline’s rules for every leg, since the IAA notes that operators and some states can be more restrictive. Ask staff immediately about a device that is heating unusually, swelling, smoking or behaving abnormally. Do not treat a familiar product as exempt from the current rules.