Before my recent American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Charlotte, I noticed that there were no power outlets on the plane while doublechecking the seat configuration on SeatGuru (always doublecheck for the best seats and the amenities).
I think I was the only one who checked ahead of time. On the flight, everyone around me in first class (I got upgraded thanks to my Executive Platinum status) was shocked and dismayed. I wasn’t, and because I planned ahead, I came prepared with my ChargeTech PLUG Portable Power Supply (there are cheaper external charger options, like these), which I made sure was fully charged. While others were out of luck, I was able to work on my laptop and charge my iPhone the whole 4.5-hour flight.
Related: In-Flight Wi-Fi for Less
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Bear in mind that certain airports have limits on total battery size of a given device. I’ve never seen it in the US, but in Cambodia and Hong Kong I had discussions with their version of the TSA on how many mAH by battery pack was, and whether I would be able to take it onboard. RAV power has a discussion on max sizes (http://blog.ravpower.com/2017/04/flying-planes-power-banks/), but for a litium-ion pack, I recall the boundary was around 25,000 mAH.
I foresee an issue in the future with people using cheap USB batteries to run their tablets. When a cheap USB battery is used to power a large tablet, it overheats. And these batteries are only $15, so you know that they are not made well. You know where I’d headed with this. Which brings me to another suggestion I have. Why don’t the airlines install cheap LIPO safes throughout the cabin for the time when there is a fire from these batteries?
Amazingly, US Air did not equip many, if any, of it’s planes with electrical outlets. Charlotte was one of their routes prior to the merger with American. So, AA flights on the planes that were in the US Air fleet are typically without electrical outlets.
The seller says it is not allowed in the cabin and they are working on a travel friendly size:
Question: Can this go on the plane?
Answer: The travel version need to go in checked luggage thought.
By luco on May 4, 2017
Hi Abha, unfortunately, the PLUG Pro greatly exceeds FAA limit to lithium batteries for safe travel. We do offer PLUG travel 42,000 mAh that’s specifically made for travelers around the globe, it will soon be available on Amazon.
By ChargeTech SELLER on April 28, 2017
Restriction is 20,000mah in Asia.
But what laptop are you crazy americans using that can’t last 4 hours