Smoke started filling the cabin of a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines plane after a portable phone charger caught fire midflight this week, a video shows.
Passengers were seen covering their faces as a flight attendant holding a fire extinguisher walked down the aisle.
The flight Tuesday night took off from SĆ£o Paulo, Brazil, en route to Amsterdam.
“Smoke was detected on board due to a burning power bank,” the airline said in a statement. “The crew quickly extinguished the device, following established safety procedures.”
The flight continued to Amsterdam and landed safely. No injuries were reported.
Power banks, or portable chargers, typically contain lithium-ion batteries. The batteries are permitted on planes, but not in checked luggage due the risk of them overheating. Also used in cellphones, laptops, tablets, cameras, watches and other personal electronic devices, lithium batteries have increasingly caused fires on planes.
Some airlines have restrictions on using power banks on flights. Emirates on Friday announced it will prohibit use of any power banks on flights starting Oct. 1, 2025. Passengers will be permitted to bring a power bank on their flight, but won’t be able to use it.
“After a comprehensive safety review, Emirates is taking a firm and proactive stance to mitigate risk when it comes to power banks onboard,” the airline said in a statement. “There has been a significant growth in customers using power banks in recent years, resulting in an increasing number of lithium battery-related incidents onboard flights across the wider aviation industry.”
A Delta flight last month had to make an emergency landing in Fort Myers, Florida, after a portable battery caught fire.
Data from the Federal Aviation AdministrationĀ shared in December 2024 showed that lithium battery fires on U.S. flights rose 388% since 2015, occurring nearly twice a week.
A survey of more than 800 flight attendants conducted by UL Standards & Engagement, a safety research organization, found that 87% are concerned about lithium battery risks on airplanes. The survey also found that one in four passengers admitted to packing lithium batteries in their checked bags.
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