Fire on Air China flight sparks panic after lithium battery ignites mid-air

Panic erupted on an Air China flight from Hangzhou to Seoul when a lithium battery in a passenger’s carry-on bag caught fire, sending flames shooting from an overhead compartment and forcing an emergency landing in Shanghai.

Videos shared on social media show passengers screaming, panicking and filming as smoke fills the cabin and red flames flicker from an open luggage bin. Cabin crew, armed with fire extinguishers, quickly contained the blaze. No injuries were reported; however, the aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

There were 160 passengers and crew aboard the CA139 flight. Travellers were later flown to Seoul on a replacement aircraft.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire was sparked by a lithium power bank battery, although officials have yet to confirm the brand or manufacturer involved. This is not the first such incident in the region this year.

In June 2025, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) imposed a nationwide ban on uncertified power banks amid growing concern over the hazard posed by portable battery packs. A market-regulation report found that up to 44 per cent of power banks tested were substandard. Only devices bearing a valid China Compulsory Certification (3C or CCC), introduced in 2023, are now permitted on domestic flights.

The aviation industry is stepping up its response worldwide, with a Safety Alert for Operations (SAFO) issued in September this year, which warned of the dangers of carrying lithium batteries on board aircraft, emphasising the risk of smoke or fire caused by thermal runaway – a self-sustaining overheating process. Of particular concern is the fact that current onboard fire extinguishers can contain but not fully suppress lithium-battery fires.

Earlier this year, several airlines introduced restrictions on uncertified power banks. In January 2025, Air Busan, a South Korean airline, banned power banks after one of its aircraft was destroyed by fire – an incident strikingly similar to the latest Air China blaze, where a fire in the overhead compartment prompted the company to prohibit passengers from stowing such devices above their seats.

Last summer, Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, announced that, with effect from 1 October 2025, the use of any power bank on board would be strictly prohibited. Furthermore, they banned storing the devices in overhead compartments, requiring passengers to keep them switched off and within reach (in the seat pocket or in a bag under the seat).

In April 2025, amid heightened awareness of the risks posed by portable electronic devices (PEDs) and power banks, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) updated its safety guidelines, clarifying which types of batteries and devices can be transported on aircraft.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and IATA all advise that lithium-powered devices should be transported only in hand luggage and kept completely switched off when not in use. According to FAA data, over the past two decades, more than 500 incidents involving lithium batteries – resulting in smoke, fire or heat – have been reported on aircraft, many of which were linked to power banks.

In Hong Kong and South Korea, new regulations now forbid passengers from charging devices using in-seat power sockets and prohibit the use of power banks during flights. Other Asian carriers are also implementing crackdowns: AirAsia, EVA Air, China Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and UNI Air have all banned the in-flight use of power banks, citing fire safety risks and the need to comply with updated international aviation standards.