Battery Fire on KLM Flight: How a Power Bank Filled the Cabin with Smoke — Safety Takeaways

On Tuesday at a KLM Royal Dutch Airline flight from Brazil. It was going to Amsterdam. The airline says the smoke was caused by a burning battery pack that somebody brought on board. They grabbed fire extinguishers and quickly put out the burning charger right there in a passenger’s backpack. KLM says the crew handled it by the book and luckily everyone landed safely in Amsterdam.

Why this matters: lithium batteries are a growing risk

Data and industry reports show that lithium-ion battery incidents on aircraft have climbed sharply in recent years, with FAA data and safety organizations reporting many more occurrences of smoke, fire, or extreme heat linked to batteries (power banks, vapes, phones). These devices can suffer thermal runaway (rapid overheating and ignition) if damaged, overcharged, or defective — and at altitude a cabin fire is especially hazardous.

What happened on the KLM flight (details)

The fire reportedly began roughly four hours from landing, while many passengers were asleep; smoke quickly spread into the cabin.

Cabin crew located the burning power bank in a bag, used extinguishers and cooling measures, and isolated the device. The plane did not divert and landed in Amsterdam; passengers applauded the crew’s response.

Airline reaction & industry context

The KLM crew’s rapid response prevented escalation; the incident is now part of a string of similar events that have pushed several airlines to tighten rules on power banks, in-flight charging, and carry-on battery limits.

Regulators and airlines like Emirates, several Asian airlines, and U.S. carriers updating guidance are re-evaluating policies

Safety takeaways for travelers

• Keep power banks only in carry-on. Don’t keep in checked luggage.
• Don’t left alone devices on charging. If an item gets too hot, crew need to see it quickly.
• Follow airline guidelines about watt-hour (Wh) limits ( allow up to ~100 Wh). Large battery need airlines permissions.
• Check your power bank for damage, swelling, or odd smells before travel
• If you notice smoke or heat, alert crew immediately. Trained cabin crews are equipped to respond quickly.

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