An IndiGo flight carrying more than 180 passengers was diverted to Hyderabad on Sunday, 11 October, after a power bank caught fire in an overhead luggage compartment. The flight, 6E 6115, was travelling from Delhi to Chennai.
Smoke and flames were observed emerging from the overhead storage bin. Cabin crew used firefighting equipment to bring the situation under control, and the pilots diverted the aircraft as a precaution. The flight landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad at 3:59 pm local time, and no injuries were reported.
IndiGo confirmed the diversion was due to smoke detected from a customer's personal electronic device. An alternate aircraft was arranged to continue the journey to Chennai. The incident has raised renewed concerns regarding the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries.
Last year, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an advisory recommending airlines prohibit the use of power banks for charging portable electronic devices during flights. Power banks are not permitted in checked-in baggage and must be carried in the cabin.