IndiGo Flight Diverted After Power Bank Fire on Board – Regulator Bans Model

An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Chennai was diverted on Sunday after a passenger's power bank caught fire in an overhead bin. As US broadcaster CBS News reports, citing the airline, the crew quickly brought the situation under control. The aircraft reportedly landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad near Hyderabad.

According to sources, it was flight 6E6115. The newspaper Herald Goa dates the incident to October 11 and reports that all 191 people on board were unharmed. No information on damage to the aircraft has been released so far.

What is known about the incident?

According to the information available, the fire broke out in the overhead luggage compartment. The power bank's lithium battery is considered the suspected cause. According to the airline, the crew was able to contain the fire on board before the aircraft landed in Hyderabad.

IndiGo said the landing took place without further incident. The airline has not yet provided detailed information on the exact circumstances, such as how the fire was extinguished.

What action has the aviation regulator taken?

India's aviation regulator, the DGCA, has responded to the incident. According to the newspaper Hindustan Times, it instructed airlines to prevent the MOBIKINS MK-PB-04 power bank model from being carried on flights to, from and within India. Gulf News also reports a move to ban a specific power bank model as a result of the fire.

According to Herald Goa, the regulator's order follows directly on the diversion of the IndiGo flight to Hyderabad. NDTV also reports that another IndiGo flight, from Hyderabad to Srinagar, turned back after a power bank was found in the luggage. Whether that case is connected to the banned model is not clear from the report.

Why are lithium batteries dangerous on planes?

Lithium-ion batteries can go into what is known as thermal runaway if they are damaged, overheated or short-circuited. This generates intense heat, and the battery can reignite even when the flames appear to have been extinguished.

At a cruising altitude of around 35,000 feet, there is no fire brigade to come to the rescue. The crew has to bring a fire in the pressurized cabin under control on its own while also ensuring the safety of passengers. A small battery can thus become a major problem.

Have there been similar incidents recently?

As recently as September 17, KLM flight KL735 had to turn back over the Atlantic after a power bank caught fire on board. The crew extinguished the fire, but the aircraft was damaged.

On social media, videos of such incidents sparked debate: numerous users criticized passengers for filming the scenes on their phones instead of helping. Others called for power banks to be banned on board altogether or for special containers to isolate burning devices to be made mandatory. There has been no official response to these proposals.