Four airlines ban passengers from packing AirPods due to safety concerns

A number of airlines have introduced a ban on passengers putting AirPods in their checked luggage over fears there could be a fire on the plane.

The small earphones have become increasingly popular gadgets since they often work better than headphones without the size complications, though they often need charging.

Most people indulging in a spot of air travel would likely think to take such things with them in their carry-on baggage so they could bring them into the plane's cabin with them.

However, other passengers might have been planning on stashing them in the checked luggage and for those fliers there are four airlines saying no.

Air New Zealand, EVA Air, UNI Air and Tigerair have all banned bluetooth earbuds including AirPods from checked luggage over fears that since they'd always be charging while stored away there's a fire risk from the batteries and if that started in the cargo hold of a plane it'd be catastrophic.

The headphones and their pod are a battery, which airlines don't want in their cargo holds (Getty Stock Photo)

Speaking to the Mirror, Air New Zealand made it clear you could still bring AirPods and other earbuds like it onto planes, but they had to be carried by you into the cabin and not put in the luggage which gets checked in separately.

They said: "Yes, you can take wireless earbuds and AirPods in your carry-on luggage. They must not go in check-in luggage under any circumstances.

"Each person is allowed a total of 20 spare batteries or power banks in their carry-on, unless an airline has approved the carriage of more batteries.

"The wireless earbuds/AirPods charger is considered one of the 20 spare batteries or power banks allowed in passengers' carry-on.

"Some airlines, including Air New Zealand, specify in their conditions of carriage that you can only travel with your wireless ear buds / AirPods chargers in carry-on and not check-in luggage."

"We would like to remind passengers not to store battery devices in their checked luggage (Getty Stock Photo)

There's been a growing concern over people taking gadgets and batteries on holidays with them and stashing them in their checked luggage.

Many airlines have rules about people bringing power banks with them onto a plane, with the concern being that the batteries could ignite in the hold just as the airlines worrying about AirPods fear could happen with those.

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People are bringing all sorts of things on holiday with them which require batteries, plugs, power and charging, all things which aren't exactly ideal to be putting in with a pile of other luggage in the hold beneath a plane.

Always make sure you're checking the rules of the airlines you're travelling with about what you can and can't bring with you, and whether you're allowed to bring something in your checked luggage or if it must stay with you in the cabin.