According to recent reports, a power bank onboard a flight has once again caused a fire and forced a plane to divert.
IndiGo Airlines told the Indian Express that on October 11, Flight 6E 6115 from Delhi to Chennai, India, diverted to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) in Shamshabad. In a statement, an airline spokesperson said that the reroute happened “after smoke was detected from a customer’s personal electronic device.” Notably, Shamshabad is in Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana state in southern India, about an hour and 20 minutes by air (or 11 hours and 20 minutes by car) from Chennai.
Footage reportedly of the incident, shared on X, shows several passengers trying to put out the flames in an overhead compartment. The audio captures someone shouting “fire” and repeatedly saying “water bottle.”
The Independent reported that over 180 passengers were on the Chennai-bound flight when the power bank caused the fire. Per the source, “no injuries were reported.”
After landing in Shamshabad, the airline arranged for passengers on the disrupted and diverted flight to fly to Chennai in a separate plane.
“The cabin crew responded promptly, and the situation was brought under control,” an IndiGo spokesperson told Metro.
“We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers due to this unforeseen situation and are making all efforts to minimize it, including offering refreshments and sharing timely updates,” they said, adding, “At IndiGo, the safety of our customers and crew remains our top priority.”
Is It Safe To Bring Power Banks On Planes?
To stay safe when flying, check the rules and regulations for traveling with power banks in the countries you’ll be flying in and out of and the airline(s) you’ll be traveling with. Rules may revolve around how many power banks one person can travel with, a portable charger’s “watt-hours” (Wh), and how and where they’re stored onboard. You should also know the regulations on in-flight usage, or the lack thereof, of a power bank. These rules exist because the lithium batteries often used in portable power banks can pose fire risks during flights.
Common rules require that a power bank under 100 Wh be stored only in your carry-on and kept under your seat or in the seat pocket in front of you. Additionally, Emirates, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, all Lufthansa Group carriers, and others ban charging a device with a lithium battery power bank during a flight.
Last year, the South Korean carrier Air Busan banned travelers from keeping their portable chargers in overhead bins.
According to the American Transportation Security Administration, travelers may carry a lithium battery power bank in their carry-on or personal bag, but not in checked luggage.
