Power Bank Catches Fire On Alaska Airlines Flight. Is It Safe To Carry It? What The New Rules Say

An Alaska Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after take-off when a passenger's phone and power bank suddenly caught fire in the cabin. The incident occurred on February 22 and has left one passenger injured, raising fresh questions about the safety of using power banks during flights.

Fire Breaks Out 15 Minutes After Take-Off

The incident occurred aboard Alaska Airlines flight 2117, operated by regional carrier Horizon Air. The Embraer 175 had departed Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport en route to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, according to FlightAware.

Passenger Leana Stickler told local media outlet KAKE that the fire erupted when a woman used a lithium-ion battery pack to charge her phone.

"It was just sitting in her lap...not being touched, and it exploded," Stickler said, describing the flames as nearly a foot high. The fire scorched the passenger's arms and legs before she managed to throw the burning device into the aisle.

Fellow passenger Tracy Soom said the plane had been airborne for only around 15 minutes when the cabin suddenly filled with smoke. Flight attendants rushed in with extinguishers while passengers struggled to breathe.

Emergency Landing And Immediate Medical Action

In a statement to People Magazine, the Wichita Airport Authority confirmed that the aircraft returned safely after "a passenger's external battery caught fire mid-flight."

Emergency personnel evaluated three passengers, transporting one of them - believed to be the owner of the device - to a nearby hospital for additional treatment.

Alaska Airlines told People Magazine that the overheating phone and power bank were sealed in a containment bag as the crew prepared for landing.

The airline said that affected travellers were placed on a later flight to Seattle and thanked them for their patience.

Why Lithium Power Banks Catch Fire On Aircraft

Lithium-ion batteries, including those used in phones and power banks, are known fire risks because they can overheat due to:

• internal short circuits
• physical damage
• overcharging
• poor manufacturing quality
• ageing cells

Once ignited, lithium battery fires can be intense, self-sustaining and difficult to extinguish, making them especially hazardous in enclosed cabin environments.

Also Read: 10 Things To Never Pack In Your Hand Luggage At Indian Airports

Should Travellers Use Power Banks In Flight?

Aviation regulators continue to warn passengers about the dangers of using power banks on board. While carrying a good-quality (under 100Wh) power bank in cabin baggage is generally considered safe, experts advise avoiding in-flight charging and never storing battery packs in overhead bins.

India's DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), in an advisory issued in November 2025, cautioned that fires in overhead compartments "may result in delayed detection of smoke or fire and response actions, increasing the potential hazard to flight safety."

More Airlines Are Banning Power Bank Usage

To reduce risks, major global carriers - including Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Emirates, Virgin Australia and Lufthansa - have already imposed bans on the use or charging of power banks while in the air.