Cathay Pacific and its subsidiary Cathay Dragon introduced updated rules on Jan. 1 addressing so‑called “smart bags”—luggage equipped with lithium batteries used to charge devices or power motorized wheels.
Under the revised policy, smart bags are no longer classified as portable electronic devices; instead, their batteries are treated the same as power banks or spare lithium batteries. As a result, passengers who wish to check smart bags must remove the battery and carry it in the cabin with them.
Travelers planning to bring a smart bag into the cabin must be able to show that the battery is removable, because crew may need to stow the bag during portions of the flight. If the battery cannot be removed, the bag will be prohibited from being carried on or checked.
The Cathay Pacific Group said the change follows guidance recently issued by the International Air Transport Association and aligns with safety and risk‑mitigation practices adopted by other major carriers worldwide.
Several other airlines have implemented comparable restrictions, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines, reflecting an industrywide effort to address the fire risk associated with lithium batteries in checked baggage.