A commercial flight was compelled to perform an urgent landing following a sudden explosion of a power bank within the aircraft cabin. The Alaska Airlines flight AS2117 from Wichita, Kansas to Seattle experienced a diversion shortly after take-off on Sunday due to an ‘external battery fire,’ resulting in significant delays for passengers.

During the incident, one individual sustained injuries as the charging device unexpectedly exploded while being used by a passenger, leading to the cabin filling with smoke, causing breathing difficulties for others on board. The flames were eventually extinguished by a flight attendant using a fire extinguisher.

Witnesses, including passenger Leana Stickler, described how the device exploded while sitting untouched on a woman’s lap, resulting in flames reaching nearly a foot in height. The woman suffered scorch marks on her arms and legs and threw the burning device into the aisle.

Another passenger, Tracy Soom, recalled that smoke began to fill the cabin only 15 minutes into the flight, prompting a crew member to swiftly respond with a fire extinguisher. Three individuals were evacuated upon landing, with the power bank owner receiving medical attention after being treated at the scene.

Following the incident, the phone and power bank were secured in a sealed bag by airline personnel, and affected passengers were accommodated on a subsequent flight to Seattle. The Wichita Airport confirmed that the aircraft landed safely after a passenger’s external battery caught fire mid-flight.

In a separate incident, a Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flight was also forced to make an emergency landing due to a smoking lithium-ion power bank. Multiple airlines, including Emirates, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, and ITA Airways, have implemented bans on power bank use during flights due to safety concerns. Regulations permit lithium-ion batteries below 160 Wh to be carried in carry-on baggage for personal use, limited to two per passenger and not allowed in checked luggage.