Burning power bank: Lufthansa aircraft from Lisbon makes emergency landing in Lyon

According to initial findings, there were no injuries. The passengers and crew were looked after after the landing and, as reports state, accommodated in hotels for the night. The exact circumstances of the fire are still under investigation.

What is known about the incident?

The incident throws a spotlight on the rules of the Lufthansa Group regarding the carriage of lithium batteries on board. These power banks belong to the category of mobile energy storage devices using lithium-ion technology and can catch fire if defective or damaged.

In past incidents involving burning electronics in air travel, regulatory authorities have repeatedly pointed out the risks posed by loose batteries. Airlines are responding with increasingly detailed conditions of carriage.

Lufthansa reacted to the event by reminding passengers of its carriage rules. According to these, power banks in hand luggage on the Lufthansa Group may not be stored in the overhead luggage compartments above the seats, but exclusively in the seat pocket of the seat in front, on one's own person, or in hand luggage under the seat.

The rules of the Lufthansa Group

The background to this regulation is that a burning power bank in the narrow cargo compartment above the seats would be harder to detect and reach. In the seat pocket in front of the passenger or under the seat, a crew member or the owner themselves can intervene immediately, for example by cooling the battery with water or transferring it to a fire-resistant container.

At Lyon airport, the ground rescue service took over initial care. The airline initially provided no information about the exact number of those affected. Travellers had to spend the rest of the day and the night in the region before they could continue their journey to Frankfurt.

Reaction at Lyon airport

After landing, the aircraft involved was checked by the airport fire brigade and towed off the apron. The airline and authorities are now investigating how the defect could have occurred and whether the device complied with aviation safety regulations.

Media such as RTL picked up the incident on Sunday evening and pointed to the growing number of similar incidents involving lithium batteries on board European aircraft. Connections via Scotland and Toronto also recently made headlines due to battery incidents.

For Lufthansa, the emergency landing in Lyon is the second major incident of this kind within a short period of time. The airline announced that it would further intensify crew training for handling burning batteries and remind passengers of the applicable rules before boarding.