Southwest Airlines mandates visible portable chargers during flights to enhance safety, addressing risks of thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries.

Southwest Airlines is implementing a surprising new restriction on portable chargers to keep these notoriously incendiary devices from bursting into flame mid-flight. Starting May 28, passengers will be required to keep their power banks in plain sight, making the budget carrier the first to roll out a policy of this kind.

Passengers on Southwest Airlines flights will soon be required to keep their portable chargers in plain sight while using them because of concerns about

Southwest announced the new policy that will go into effect May ... risks for UL Standards & Engagement and works with 37 airlines and battery manufacturers to minimize them.