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By Rebecca JeffreyRebecca Jeffrey12 December 2025

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Investigation uncovers three separate alleged schemes involving fraudulent invoices and kickbacks to secure cargo contracts

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Individuals in the US air cargo industry have been charged with alleged bribery and money laundering crimes committed over several years to secure favourable contracts.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James said in a press release that an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (Port Authority) had uncovered three alleged bribery and money laundering schemes by companies working out of New York JFK Airport.

At this stage, the charges in the indictments are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The accused had allegedly used fraudulent invoices and cash payments to bribe an airline employee in order to secure contracts for cargo companies they owned.

In the first indictment, the charged co-conspirators allegedly agreed to pay an airline employee cash every quarter and paid for trips, as well as meals and other expenses incurred on the trips, in exchange for receiving continued contracts.

The second indictment alleged a separate bribery scheme where an airline employee at the airport agreed to ensure its business in exchange for a percentage of earnings achieved through the contract.

The third alleged scheme involved another company with an airline employee receiving two or three dollars each time a product was sold to the airline. The money was allegedly paid through an intermediary company that would keep half of the money, the press release claimed.

“We’re grateful for our strong partnership with the Attorney General’s Office that helped us uncover these alleged schemes inside JFK’s cargo operations,” said Port Authority inspector general John Gay.

“Blatant bribes, fake invoices, and vacation kickbacks have no place in an environment that depends on honesty and accountability. Our office will continue to pursue anyone who attempts to compromise the safety and integrity of the region’s critical transportation infrastructure.”

Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID), the trade body representing over 600 airports, released its latest outlook on air cargo performance across the region, highlighting stabilising demand, recovering supply chains, and long-term growth until 2028.

The updated version of ACI APAC & MID’s Short Term Forecast 2025-2028, developed with OAG, projects Asia-Pacific air cargo volumes to grow 4.3% CAGR through 2028, while the Middle East is expected to expand at a 3.3% CAGR.

Asia-Pacific continues to lead global air cargo, driven by its strong manufacturing base, particularly in semiconductors and electronics, along with expanding cross-border e-commerce networks and its significant demographic scale. Together, these structural advantages are expected to sustain the region’s cargo leadership well into the future.

The Middle East’s location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa has strengthened its position as a major hub for air cargo, supporting trade and attracting global logistics players. Ongoing economic development, large urban projects, and rising demand for advanced logistics services are further accelerating the region’s growth in global air freight.

Director General of ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Stefano Baronci, said, “The resurgence of cargo, particularly significant in the first 10 months of the year in Asia-Pacific, powered by e-commerce and manufacturing shifts, highlights the region’s underlying economic resilience. Despite geopolitical tensions and trade uncertainties, over the next three years, we expect Asia-Pacific to continue to play the lion’s share in terms of cargo growth. To prepare for this, over the next 10 years, airports in both Asia-Pacific and Middle East will invest extensively to add 71 million tonnes of additional cargo capacity.  This growth trajectory requires supportive policies and coordinated planning across the cargo supply chain.”

Asia-Pacific outlook 2025-2028

Southern Asia is projected to grow at 5.5% CAGR through 2028, boosted by India’s strong economic outlook. The forecast shows South-Eastern Asia growing at 5.2%, driven by its rising role in China+1 manufacturing, while China is projected to grow at 4.4%, supported by strong cross-border e-commerce.

Eastern Asia is expected to grow 2.6% CAGR to 2028, supported by steady export recovery.

Oceania is projected to achieve a CAGR of 3.7%, indicating a steady increase in demand, driven by the continuous expansion of e-commerce, strong investment, and steady consumer demand.

Middle East outlook 2025-2028

 

The Middle East air cargo market is projected to continue its upward trajectory in the near term. Cargo volumes are forecast to grow at 3.3% CAGR from 2025 through 2028, outpacing some other regions like Europe and the United States in terms of percentage growth.

Gulf airports are investing heavily through 2028, adding cargo terminals, upgrading technology, and expanding cool-chain capacity to support faster, more efficient cargo handling.

Surging online retail and cross-border e-commerce, especially flows from Asia, are boosting demand. Operators are expanding express networks and automation to manage rising parcel volumes.

Adoption of AI-enabled cargo management, digital booking platforms, and automated systems is strengthening efficiency and supporting the region’s projected 3.3% annual cargo growth.

Potential risk

While growth prospects remain positive, geopolitical tensions and trade uncertainties pose significant risks to the region’s air cargo market. Conflicts, airspace restrictions, and shifts in regional security dynamics, alongside trade policy changes and tariffs, could disrupt key corridors and affect cargo flows.

Other Topics: Air Cargo Network, Air Express, Air Freight Services, Air Logistics, Airports Council International, Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East, Asia Pacific Air Cargo, Asia Pacific Air Freight, Asia Pacific Air Logistics, Asia Pacific Shipments, Cargo Flights, E-Commerce Logistics, Express Delivery, Express Logistics, International Air Shipments, International Express Delivery, Transpacific Air Cargo, Transpacific Air Freight

By Rebecca JeffreyRebecca Jeffrey9 December 2025

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Trade body highlights sector resilience amid global trade challenges, with e-commerce and time-sensitive shipments driving growth

Generic cargo on freighter

Credit: tratong/ Shutterstock

Air cargo volumes in 2026 are expected to increase 2.4% year on year, according to IATA’s latest analysis.

The trade body said air cargo volumes are expected to reach 71.6m tonnes in 2026, noting that the “resilience in air cargo has been particularly impressive” within the context of the challenges the market has faced.

Cargo revenue is forecast to reach $158bn in 2026, up 2.1% on $155bn this year. Revenue will be particularly driven by time-sensitive shipments and e-commerce volumes.

Despite positive predictions for volumes and revenue, cargo yields are expected to be down -0.5% on 2025, although this is within the context of a slowdown in global trade and yields will still be approximately 30% above pre-pandemic levels, pointed out IATA.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, said: “The resilience in air cargo has been particularly impressive. As trade flows adapt to a protectionist US tariff regime, air cargo has been the hero of global trade buoyed in part by robust e-commerce and semiconductor shipments to support the boom in AI investments.

“Notably, air cargo enabled front-loading to deliver products ahead of tariff deadlines, and it flexibly accommodated demand surges as tariffed goods normally destined for the US found new markets. The critical role of air cargo is front and center as the global economy adjusts to new realities.”

 

USD 1.2 Billion in Airline Funds Blocked by Governments, Majority in Africa and Middle East

Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that USD 1.2 billion in airline funds are blocked from repatriation by governments as of the end of October 2025. A marginal improvement of USD 100 million has been made since last reported in April 2025. Out of total blocked funds reported, 93% are trapped in Africa and Middle East (AME).

IATA called on governments to lift all restrictions on currency repatriation and allow airlines to access their revenues in U.S. dollars from ticket sales, cargo sales and other activities, as guaranteed in bilateral air service agreements and treaty obligations. Restrictions include burdensome or inconsistent procedures to obtain repatriation approval, delays in obtaining approval, shortage or lack of foreign exchange or other limitations imposed by governments or central banks.

“Airlines need reliable access to their revenues in U.S. dollars to keep operations running, pay their bills, and maintain vital air connectivity. Governments have committed to unfettered repatriation of funds in bilateral agreements. With low margins and significant dollar denominated costs, airlines depend on governments fulfilling that commitment. It is also in the interest of governments to foster the economic catalyst that airlines provide by connecting their economies globally. That’s why we urge governments to facilitate the efficient repatriation of airline funds and prioritize this in foreign exchange allocations, even when currency is in short supply,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Ten countries are responsible for 89% of blocked funds

Ten countries across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia account for 89% of the total blocked funds, amounting to USD 1.08 billion.

Country                Amount USD Million

Algeria  307

XAF Zone*          179

Lebanon              138

Mozambique     91

Angola  81

Eritrea   78

Zimbabwe           67

Ethiopia                54

Pakistan               54

Bangladesh         32

*XAF Zone (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon)

Country Highlights

For the first time, Algeria sits at the top of the list of blocked funds countries. Significant increases have been reported due to a new approval requirement by the Ministry of Trade, adding to the already burdensome documentation requirements. IATA urges the government of Algeria to remove unnecessary processes and requirements for airlines.

While blocked funds in XAF Zone have slightly decreased since last reported in April 2025 from USD 191 million, airlines continue to face repatriation challenges despite submission of required documentation. We call on the BEAC to streamline the internal three-step validation process and improve processing times to continue clearing the backlog.

AME region accounts for 93% of total blocked funds across 26 countries, at USD 1.12 billion as of end October 2025.

“Political and economic instability are key drivers of currency restrictions across Africa and the Middle East, resulting in large sums of blocked funds. We recognize that allocation of foreign exchange is a difficult policy decision, but the long-term benefits for the economy and jobs outweigh short-term financial relief,” added Walsh.

Transparency

To provide greater transparency on the issue of blocked funds, IATA launched a web page to track progress quarterly, provide background information, and highlight developments.

By Cathy Morrow-Roberson 5 December 2025

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Freight forwarders are preparing for the new year by expanding into new trade lanes, reducing costs, and investing further in technology

Belly cargo being loaded

Freight forwarders described the third quarter as one of overcapacity and softer demand, as the US de minimis ended and inventory front-loading eased.

The fourth quarter is expected to be a quiet one, with some forwarders not expecting a peak for airfreight while others expect only a small, shortened one, at best.

However, depending on how successful the fourth-quarter holiday season is for retailers and the potential need for seasonal inventory, inventory replenishment will likely be necessary towards the end of the fourth quarter and early 2026, which could boost freight forwarders’ revenue and perhaps profitability if there is a reduction in market capacity.

Demand from US manufacturers, however, will likely be muted through at least the first quarter of 2026. US manufacturing indices have remained below 50, meaning contraction, for most of 2025 due to the geopolitical environment.

In such an environment, forwarders such as Kuehne+Nagel and Expeditors International of Washington have found some success by focusing on specific verticals.

Kuehne+Nagel benefited from perishables and semiconductors, including hyperscalers, while Expeditors benefited from technology, pharmaceuticals, and aviation.

“We also continue to benefit from the significant investments being made by our technology customers in artificial intelligence infrastructure,” noted Expeditors’ executives in the company’s third-quarter earnings announcement.

Besides specialisation across various verticals, forwarders are also focusing on new trade lanes that exclude the US due to the tariff rollercoaster and struggles to keep up with customs changes as they relate to threats of and actual tariff changes.

DHL Group chief executive, Tobias Meyer, said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call in early November: “I think most notably that was visible in the September export figures of China, where trade to the US was down 27%, but you had double-digit growth in the trade with Southeast Asia, with the trade of Europe as well, and particularly the trade to the Middle East and Africa was growing a lot, Latin America as well.

 

“These being long-haul trades and that compensating for some of the decoupling that we see as it relates to the US, which clearly has a lower share of participation in global trade as is increasingly replaced by China as the most important trading partner for many countries in the world.”

Expeditors International is perhaps the exception. It historically has had a strong US customs brokerage offering.

During the third quarter, it benefited from this strength as noted by its recent earnings announcement: “All of our businesses within this category [customs brokerage] continued to generate strong growth.

“The products and services in this group tend to be more stable than those in our air and ocean businesses. Our customs brokerage business continues to deliver strong growth, given the high demand for our services due to the dynamic trade environment.”

As forwarders enter 2026, they are also focusing on cost control. For example, as it integrates with the former DB Schenker, DSV plans to continue to monitor activity levels across its organisation and will adjust capacity and its cost base as necessary.

Meanwhile, Kuehne+Nagel announced layoffs and “facilities-related costs and a basket of other variable expenses,” according to chief financial officer Markus Blanka-Graff.

In addition to cost reductions, Kuehne+Nagel is reviewing “large language models and digital agent capabilities” and “will further identify areas where we can leverage digital agents, which should help us to reduce our cost to serve”, chief executive Stefan Paul said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call.

Expect more forwarders to embrace ‘digital agents’ to reduce costs. CH Robinson, for example, highlighted its investments in artificial intelligence (AI) within its overall business by improving its productivity and operational performance by automating tasks that free up its employees to focus on more strategic, higher-value work, according to chief executive David Bozeman.

According to early 2026 outlooks, volatility will be the norm instead of the exception. While tariff tensions have temporarily eased, the path ahead remains unsettled, as higher borrowing costs, shifting fiscal policies, and elevated geopolitical risks weigh on growth prospects.

“We are focused on aligning our operating cost structure with a lower growth environment, while continuing to make strategic investments in high return areas to drive sustainable, profitable, and capital efficient growth,” according to Expeditors International chief financial officer David A. Hackett.

Indeed, most, if not all, the top global freight forwarders will follow Expeditors International’s lead as 2026 draws near.

Air cargo predicted to pick up in second half of 2026

By Rebecca JeffreyRebecca Jeffrey4 December 2025

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Industry analysts predict that continued tariff uncertainty will drive air cargo volatility in 2025, though actual implementation expected to be less severe

Tariffs, e-commerce and demand out of Southeast Asia will be some of the hot topics in the air cargo industry next year, with the second half of the year more prosperous.

The air cargo industry will likely have to contend with more tariff turbulence next year, but the threatened tariffs will be worse than the reality, according to Niall van de Wouw, chief airfreight officer, Xeneta.

Speaking during Flexport’s ’Air Market Predictions for 2026’ webinar, van de Wouw said it is likely there will be further tariff developments and “more volatility” but headline tariffs will be higher than the actual tariffs implemented.

He pointed out that this year, actual tariffs went up about 12%, a lot lower than the theatened tariff levels. This explains why the industry hasn’t seen inbound US demand plummet, he said.

Flexport’s vice president global head of airfreight, Alexis Boutet said that the company expected a low single-digit increase in industry demand in 2026, with slightly higher capacity, leading to downward pressure on rates, although rates are still expected to be elevated next year.

Further, he added that demand is anticipated to be higher in the second half of the year, with a strong peak lead by Asia export demand for e-commerce and AI-related data centre component shipments.

The webinar highlighted Aevean’s 2025 year to date growth data, which showed that both freighter and belly capacity has grown 5% year over year, with belly capacity in particular recovering to 2019 levels, although still lagging recent demand growth.

Maarten Wormer, head of consulting, Aevean, said that “much of the capacity” has been deployed on Asia-Europe and Asia-Middle East trade lanes to serve e-commere demand, which means there has been limited transpacific capacity growth.

Touching on the recent MD-11F incident and subsequent grounding of the fleet, Boutet stressed that while MD-11Fs are largely deployed on domestic routes and represent only a 1% capacity loss, provided they remain absent from the market, this “might be just enough to keep capacity tight in 2026”.

Aevean data showed that demand from Southeast Asia to the US has continued to grow throughout 2025. Vietnam is a key US trade partner for laptops and overtook China in March. US smartphone imports from China, Vietnam and India are now also equal in size, found Aevean.

 

However, Southeast Asia now faces the challenge of matching China’s infrastructure and air cargo capacity as demand continues to grow.

On the subject of demand out of Vietnam, van de Wouw said “rates will be elevated with peaks if capacity is not managed”. He added that demand and rates out of Taiwan will depend on how the semiconductor market develops.

Boutet also pointed out that it costs more to deploy freighters from Vietnam than China, so rates need to be higher as a result.

E-commerce has continued to grow, said Boutet. This year saw supply chains shift from China-US to China-Europe when the US government ended the de minimis exemption.

However, Flexport does not think the EU move to end the de minimis exemption, with temporary measures from next year, will impact the market significantly.

“We don’t think the new EU e-commerce regulation planned for November 2026 will significantly change the picture,” Flexport’s presentation stated.

In addition to this, Aevean’s research showed that US e-commerce is back to 90% of its pre de minimis trade, showing the resilience of business and strong consumer demand.

 

China Cargo Airlines launches Paris-Shanghai freighter service

By Damian BrettDamian Brett25 November 2025

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New route launched on 20 November responds to rising trade demand, with road feeder connections planned across its European network

China Cargo freighter

China Cargo Airlines, a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, has launched a new freighter route connecting China and France.

According to a China Eastern social media post, the new service was launched on 20 November using one of the carrier’s Boeing 777 freighter aircraft.

The flights connect Paris CDG and Shanghai Pudong International three times per week.

The new service comes in response to rising demand between the two countries, reports the Shanghai Observer.

The airline is hoping to carry machinery and apparel to France and chemicals and raw materials on the return leg.

From Paris, the service will connect with other European locations through the carrier’s road feeder operation.

In Paris, cargo will be handled by Worldwide Flight Services (WFS).

Additionally, WFS will provide full ramp handling for the 777Fs and operate road feeder services for China Cargo Airlines between Paris and regional airports across France as well as to other major airports in Europe.

”The new contract extends a relationship between WFS, China Cargo Airlines and its parent, China Eastern Airlines, spanning more than 25 years in Paris,” WFS said. ”This cargo handling partnership is now also in place in Arlanda, Bangkok, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Marseille and Milan.”

As well as the new freighter operations, WFS handles all cargo carried onboard China Eastern’s passenger aircraft in Paris.

The airline has been expanding its freighter fleet this year, adding four 777Fs, and it has at least one more of the model on order, according to planespotters.net.

In total, the carrier currently operates 18 of the aircraft.

 

The new flight is not the airline’s first European network addition in 2025. In May, China Cargo Airlines launched a scheduled service between Hefei Xinqiao International Airport in China and Liege Airport in Belgium.

The carrier also offers flights in Europe to Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Stansted and Budapest. Its flights to Budapest were launched in 2024.

Damian Brett

Damian Brett

Damian has been writing about the freight and logistics industry since 2007 when he joined International Freighting Weekly to cover the shipping sector. After a stint in PR, he went on to work for Containerisation International and Lloyd’s List – where he was editor of container shipping – before joining Air Cargo News in 2015.

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Rotate: Reasons to be optimistic for air cargo in 2026

By Damian BrettDamian Brett13 November 2025

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Industry consultant warns of muted 2026 prospects after near-record growth run, but cites US inventory gaps and peak freighter hours as positive indicators

While the general outlook for air cargo in 2026 is muted, there are also reasons to be optimistic about the coming 12 months, according to Ryan Keyrouse, chief executive of consultant Rotate.

Speaking at last week’s TIACA Air Cargo Forum event in Abu Dhabi, Keyrouse said that expectations for demand growth in 2026 were muted given the industry has reported 26 consecutive months of year-on-year growth – the record is 31 months – and “what goes up, must come down”.

He added that container shipping firms were improving reliability levels after a few years of disruption that had resulted in a modal shift to air, and as a result, these volumes would likely switch back to ocean transport.

However, he added that there were also several reasons to be optimistic.

Firstly, he said US sales levels had continued to outstrip inventory levels in seven of the last eight months, which he said was “usually a good sign for air cargo”.

Secondly, freighters were still in high demand, with cargo aircraft utilisation at a record high of 15 block hours per day, which indicated healthy demand.

“If freighters are flying, they are carrying something,” said Keyrouse. “I think these are reasons to be optimistic for next year.”

He added that there is also uncertainty surrounding the US tariff strategy next year. But while some may see this as a reason to be unsure about demand levels in 2026, it could also be seen as a positive.

“The tariffs are maybe even a reason to be optimistic,” he said. “If we completely have to change everything again, it will mess up all the supply chains, and that is usually good for air cargo, as we have seen this year.”

Looking longer term, Rotate is expecting air cargo to grow at an average of around 3% per year, tracking GDP growth levels. However, he added that South Asia and Southeast Asia are expected to grow at a higher level as those economies outperform global GDP levels.

Meanwhile, capacity is next year expected to grow at around 6-7% as widebody passenger and freighter aircraft are added to the market.

 

A year in review

Keyrouse said that 2025 was a year that had failed to disappoint in terms of demand, with Rotate expecting tonnages to end the year around 3.9% higher than 2024 levels.

He said there were several reasons behind the demand growth registered this year: front loading ahead of incoming US tariffs, strong sales vs inventory levels in the US and shifting supply chains.

On the latter, he said that while demand from China to the US may have fallen, these US volumes had shifted to Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, China had changed its focus to Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

“Everybody expected turmoil but everything just shifted and we continued to see growth,” he said.

Rotate figures show that between May and July, demand from China to the US declined by 29% year on year, while demand from ‘other’ Asia Pacific to the US was up 48%, more than compensating for the decline from China.

Meanwhile, volumes from China to Europe increased by 35% and from China to ‘Other’ Asia Pacific improved by 25%.

In line with changing demand, cargo carriers had rapidly shifted capacity to growth markets, with Atlas, China Airlines, China Cargo, Emirates and FedEx amongst those adding the most capacity to rapidly growing Vietnam.

 

By Damian Brett Damian Brett 31 October 2025

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The South Korean carrier joins Air China Cargo in backing Airbus’s new generation freighter programme, with A350F offering a 111-ton capacity

Korean Air A350F

Korean Air A350F

Korean Air has become the second airline this week to announce its intention to order Airbus’s new generation A350 freighter aircraft.

Airbus today announced that the South Korean carrier has converted seven of an existing order for A350 passenger aircraft to the freighter model.

“Korean Air is one of the world’s largest cargo operators,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus executive vice president of sales.

“The decision to add the A350F to its fleet is therefore a very significant endorsement of the aircraft’s unique capabilities. The A350F will bring Korean Air the most efficient solution in the large freighter segment.”

The airline has already placed an order with Boeing for eight of its new generation Boeing 777-8Fs.

According to planespotters.net, the airline’s current freighter fleet is made up of four Boeing 747-400Fs, six 747-8Fs and 12 Boeing 777Fs.

The carrier is also in the process of merging with Asiana Airlines, a deal which saw Asiana offload its freighter business to Air Incheon as part of competition requirements to approve the deal.

It is the second customer announcement for the A350F programme this week.

On Wednesday, Air Cargo News revealed that Air China Cargo had plans to order as many as 10 A350 freighters as part of efforts to expand its fleet size.

The company said it planned to initially order six of the aircraft with an option for four more.

Airbus said the A350F features the largest main deck cargo door in the industry, can carry a payload of up to 111 tonnes and has a range of 8,700 km.

 

“The aircraft will bring a reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 40% when compared to previous generation aircraft with a similar payload-range capability,” the aircraft manufacturer said.

 

 

15 October 2025

Xiamen – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched ‘Travel Smart with Lithium Batteries’, a global safety campaign that gives travelers seven simple rules for carrying mobile phones, laptops, power banks, and other lithium-powered devices safely when they fly. The campaign will run on IATA’s website and social channels and is available as white-label assets for airlines, airports, and other partners across the travel ecosystem.

“Lithium-powered devices are safe when handled properly, but they can pose a risk if damaged or packed incorrectly. As more travelers fly with these devices, our Travel Smart with Lithium Batteries campaign will help airlines educate their passengers on the simple rules they must keep in mind when traveling with the electronic devices that have become an essential part of their daily lives,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security.

Travelers Are Carrying More Devices but with Incomplete Knowledge

A recent IATA passenger survey found that most travelers fly with lithium-powered devices:

• 83% of travelers carry a phone
• 60% carry a laptop
• 44% carry a power bank

 

While 93% of travelers consider themselves knowledgeable on the rules for carrying lithium-powered devices (including 57% rating themselves as very familiar with the rules), critical misconceptions persist:

• 50% incorrectly believe it’s OK to pack small lithium-powered devices in checked luggage
• 45% incorrectly believe it’s OK to pack power banks in checked luggage
• 33% incorrectly believe that there are no power limits on power banks or spare batteries

Seven Simple Safety Rules

The campaign assets highlight seven simple rules every traveler should follow:

• Pack light: Only bring the devices and batteries you really need.
• Stay alert: If a device is hot, smoking, or damaged, tell the crew (or airport staff) immediately.
• Keep devices with you: Always carry phones, laptops, cameras, vapes (if allowed) and other battery-powered items in your hand baggage, not in checked baggage.
• Protect loose batteries: Keep spare batteries and power banks in their original packaging, or cover the terminals with tape to prevent short-circuits.
• Gate check reminder: If your hand baggage is taken at the gate to go in the aircraft baggage hold, remove all lithium batteries and devices first.
• Check battery size: For larger batteries (over 100 watt-hours, such as those used in larger cameras, drones, or power tools), check with your airline as approval may be required.
• Check airline rules: Always confirm your airline’s policies, as requirements may differ in compliance with local regulations.

Industry-Wide Rollout

The multilingual campaign will be rolled out through digital assets that airlines and other partners can adapt and share with passengers, ensuring consistent safety messaging across the industry. A short, animated video, designed to make the rules simple, engaging, and easy to remember, can be used by airlines and airports on their digital and social channels.

Campaign assets will also be available to media and other entities in the aviation value chain to help educate travelers on flying safely with their lithium-powered devices.

Watch the animated video here / download assets here.

Editors Notes

**Common devices that use lithium batteries

Many travelers don’t realize just how many everyday devices contain lithium batteries. Beyond mobile phones and laptops, lithium batteries power a wide range of personal and travel items including tablets, e-readers, wireless headphones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, cameras, portable speakers, power banks, handheld gaming consoles, and electronic styluses. They’re also found in everyday personal-care items like electric toothbrushes, shavers, and hair-straighteners, as well as in e-cigarettes, handheld fans, torches, medical devices such as hearing aids and glucose monitors, and compact tools or gadgets like screwdrivers and laser pointers.