British Airways flight returns to Gatwick after reported power bank fire on board
Flames reportedly erupted from a portable charger mid-flight, and the aircraft was forced to return to Gatwick Airport.
A British Airways flight returned to London Gatwick Airport after a reported fire involving a passenger’s power bank, with passengers describing a terrifying ordeal in the air.
Passenger Linda N Peter Davis recounted the incident in a public social media post, saying it happened approximately 15 minutes into the flight, when someone shouted ‘fire’ and she noticed a burning smell before seeing flames halfway down the aisle.
According to her account, a power bank in a passenger’s pocket had caught fire, sparking panic among those on board.
British Airways confirmed that the flight landed back at Gatwick following the incident.
“Safety is always our top priority and our flight landed back at Gatwick following this incident,” a spokesperson said.
“We're extremely grateful for the actions of our crew on the flight to resolve the issue swiftly and safely. We're sorry to our customers for the delay to their travel plans and thank them for bearing with us.”
The airline said the flight landed normally and passengers disembarked as usual.
BA added that it had offered customers a gesture of goodwill for the disruption and managed to get them onto another flight, so they could continue their journeys.
In her post, Ms Davis described the incident as the ‘scariest moment’ of their lives, and said passengers were back at Gatwick preparing to board another plane.
She also claimed that some passengers had been asked to change out of the clothes they wore during the flight because of concerns about smoke inhalation, with travellers given replacement clothing.
Portable power banks typically contain lithium-ion batteries, which can overheat and, in rare cases, catch fire if damaged or faulty. Airlines impose safety rules on the carriage and use of such devices, and passengers should follow their carrier’s instructions.