British Airways flight returns to Gatwick after power bank fire
A British Airways flight turned back to London Gatwick Airport after a passenger's power bank caught fire on board, the Evening Standard and the Sussex Express reported. The fire started about 15 minutes into the flight. The airline said the plane landed back at Gatwick and thanked its crew.
A British Airways flight returned to London Gatwick Airport after a passenger's portable charger caught fire on board, the Evening Standard and the Sussex Express reported.
A power bank in a male passenger's pocket caught fire about 15 minutes into the flight, the Evening Standard and the Sussex Express reported. One passenger said in a social media post that she heard someone shout "fire," smelled burning and then saw flames halfway down the aisle, the Evening Standard and the Sussex Express reported.
Cabin crew put out the fire and made the device safe, the Evening Standard reported. The paper said it understood that the man suffered burns and needed treatment, and that other passengers sought treatment for smoke inhalation. The Evening Standard said the flight left Gatwick on Thursday morning. Neither paper named the flight's destination.
British Airways confirmed that the plane landed back at Gatwick. "Safety is always our top priority and our flight landed back at Gatwick following this incident," a spokesperson said, as quoted by the Evening Standard and the Sussex Express. The airline thanked its crew for acting quickly and apologized to customers for the delay.
The Sussex Express reported that British Airways said the plane landed normally and that passengers got off as usual. The airline also offered customers a goodwill gesture and put them on another flight, the Sussex Express reported.
The passenger who posted online called it the "scariest moment" of her life, the Evening Standard and the Sussex Express reported.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority praised the crew, emergency services and Gatwick staff, the Evening Standard reported. The regulator reminded travelers that devices with lithium batteries, such as power banks and vapes, should be carried in the cabin and never packed in checked bags.
Power banks contain lithium-ion batteries, which can overheat and in rare cases catch fire if they are damaged or faulty, the Evening Standard and the Sussex Express noted.
What we know: A British Airways flight returned to Gatwick after a passenger's power bank caught fire about 15 minutes after takeoff, and crew put the fire out.
What we don't: Where the flight was headed, and how badly the passenger was hurt.
Where outlets agree The Evening Standard and the Sussex Express report that a British Airways flight returned to Gatwick after a passenger's power bank caught fire about 15 minutes into the flight.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.