- A KLM flight from Amsterdam to Curaçao turned back due to a power bank fire in business class
- The incident occurred five and a half hours into the flight over the Atlantic Ocean
- Cabin crew extinguished the fire, but the cabin sustained damage near a business-class window
A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Curaçao was forced to turn around after a passenger's power bank reportedly caught fire in the business-class cabin. According to RTL News, KLM Flight KL735, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, departed Amsterdam Schiphol Airport on Thursday, September 17, carrying around 322 passengers to Curaçao International Airport in the Caribbean.
The incident occurred about five and a half hours into the flight, while the aircraft was over the Atlantic Ocean. According to Dutch media reports, a power bank being charged by a passenger suddenly burst into flames in the business-class section.
An unnamed passenger told RTL News that she was sitting near former KLM chief Camiel Eurlings and claimed he was using the power bank when the incident occurred. She reportedly heard a loud bang before seeing large flames rise above the seat.
Cabin crew quickly responded and managed to extinguish the fire. However, the incident reportedly caused damage inside the cabin, prompting the captain to turn the aircraft around and return to Amsterdam.
Images circulating on social media appeared to show a charred area around a business-class window, along with ash and burn marks on the armrest. KLM has said it could not confirm the authenticity of the images.
Eurlings was reportedly left with minor injuries and was described by the passenger as shocked and upset about what had happened. However, KLM has not publicly confirmed that Eurlings was on the flight or that he was responsible for the power bank fire.
The aircraft eventually landed safely at Schiphol at around 8:40 p.m., almost 11 hours after its original departure. Passengers were later flown to Curacao on Friday aboard a replacement aircraft.
The incident has also attracted attention because KLM prohibits passengers from using or charging power banks during flights. The airline allows passengers to carry power banks in their hand luggage, but they must remain accessible and cannot be stored in an overhead compartment.
Power banks typically contain lithium-ion batteries, which can pose a fire risk if they are damaged or malfunction. A failure known as thermal runaway can cause a battery to rapidly overheat, producing smoke, intense heat and flames that can be difficult to control inside an aircraft.
Eurlings served as KLM's president and CEO from July 2013 to October 2014, succeeding Peter Hartman.
