Photo: Nikhil B / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Chennai was diverted to Hyderabad on Sunday, October 11, after a passenger’s electronic device began giving off smoke in the cabin. Several reports said the device was a power bank that caught fire mid-air. The cabin crew brought the situation under control and the aircraft landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. All passengers and crew were reported safe.
What happened on board
Flight 6E 6115 left Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at about 1.30 pm and was due in Chennai at 4 pm, according to flight-tracking data. It touched down in Hyderabad at around 3.15 pm instead. The airline said the smoke came from a customer’s personal electronic device that had been kept in an overhead bin.
Footage from inside the cabin, carried by news outlets, showed a bright orange glow at an overhead locker as passengers stood in the aisle. Authorities have begun an investigation into the incident.
The cabin crew responded promptly and the situation was brought under control. In line with the established protocols, the pilots diverted the flight and landed safely at Hyderabad.
IndiGo statement
IndiGo said it had arranged another aircraft to fly passengers on to Chennai and was offering refreshments and updates while they waited. It apologised for the inconvenience.
What the rules say
Lithium batteries in power banks can overheat and catch fire, a risk the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) flagged in a dangerous goods advisory circular issued last November. Airlines began enforcing it early this year. Under the guidance:
- Power banks and spare batteries may be carried only in hand baggage, never in checked luggage.
- They must not be placed in overhead bins, because a fire there is harder for passengers and crew to spot and reach quickly.
- Using a power bank, or charging one, is not allowed during the flight, including through seat power outlets.
- Passengers should tell the cabin crew at once if any device becomes hot, gives off smoke or smells unusual.
If the device on Sunday’s flight was a power bank, as reports suggest, its place in an overhead bin would run against that guidance. The regulator has also told airlines to remind passengers of these rules through cabin announcements and signs.
Why it matters
This is not the first such scare on an Indian flight this year. After a fire incident involving an IndiGo flight at Chandigarh airport, the DGCA was reported in May to be reviewing how regulators abroad handle power banks, including whether passengers should be barred from carrying them at all. At that point, no decision had been taken on a full ban. Investigators will now have to establish exactly what caught fire on Sunday’s flight and why it was stored in an overhead bin.
