Attention travellers: Southwest Airlines limits power banks and portable chargers to one per person

Who here never leaves home without a power bank in their backpack? I've lost count of how many times a portable charger has saved my day – whether it's a night out that stretched across town, or a tight connection between flights. Well, if you're planning to catch a Southwest Airlines flight (or any other airline in the coming months), you need to know about a change that's caught everyone off guard: from now on, only one power bank per passenger. No more carrying a stash of spare batteries in your carry-on.

Why has Southwest decided to tighten the rules?

The story isn't new, but the trigger came from recent incidents on board aircraft. Lithium-ion batteries overheating, catching fire... you've seen the videos. Southwest Airlines decided to act before it turned into a tragedy. Now, each traveller can only carry one single battery charger during the flight. And don't bother hiding a second one in your pocket or checked luggage – because items with lithium cells are banned from the hold. The rule applies to all types, from humble emergency models to the beefed-up beasts.

If you're the type who carries an Apple MagSafe Battery Pack charger for your iPhone and another generic power bank for the rest of your gadgets, you're going to have to choose. Or convince a friend to carry the spare for you. The checks are set to be rigorous, especially on US domestic flights, and the trend is that other major airlines will follow suit within the next six months.

And what about the transparent Ankers, the current favourites?

Now this is where it gets interesting. Lots of people ask me about those models that have become a hit among tech addicts – the Anker A1664h21 10000mah Transparent Power Bank and the Anker Powerbank 737 Gen2 Display 24k 140W Transparent. They're beautiful, powerful and show the internal components like a Swiss watch. But with the new rule, you'll have to settle for taking just one of them in the cabin.

Which one to choose? Here's a tip from someone who's travelled half the world: if your goal is to charge a laptop and several devices at the same time, the 140W 737 Gen2 is unbeatable – with a screen showing real-time power output, 24,000 mAh of pure energy. Now, if you want something more compact and transparent for everyday use, the 10,000 mAh A1664h21 already handles 90% of your needs and still fits in your trouser pocket.

• Traditional power bank: up to 100Wh (around 27,000 mAh) is allowed, but only one per person.
• Portable charger with MagSafe: counts towards the same limit. If you've already got an Anker, forget the Apple.
• Batteries built into laptops or phones: don't count, don't worry. The rule only applies to detachable accessories.

And what about in Australia?

CASA hasn't yet commented on such a radical measure, but airlines that fly to the US – like Qantas, Virgin Australia, United, American – tend to adopt the rules of the country of origin. That is, if you board a Southwest flight departing from Orlando or Miami, be prepared to show your single power bank at security. My seasoned traveller's advice: leave the extra models in your checked luggage? You can't, because it's prohibited. So better to redistribute them with your travel companions or simply take the most versatile one.

Another golden tip: test your charger before you travel. Old batteries or ones from dodgy brands are the most likely to cause incidents. Invest in a reliable model like the transparent Ankers – they have protection against short circuits, overheating and overload. And of course, respect the limit of one per passenger. No one wants to be the person who delays the flight because their power bank started smoking in the middle of the aisle.

Finally, keep an eye on updates. Southwest has promised to review the rule in 90 days, but the aviation industry is already moving to standardise something globally. Until then, travel light, travel safe and keep your single portable charger within easy reach – but never in your back pocket, OK? Safe travels!