Passenger's device starts smoking, flight diverted

NEW DELHI: An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Chennai Sunday was diverted to Hyderabad after a passenger's personal electronic device caught fire. The crew put the device in water before the aircraft safely diverted to Hyderabad."6E 6115 was diverted to Hyderabad after smoke was detected from a customer's PED. Cabin crew responded promptly and the situation was brought under control. In line with established protocols, the pilots diverted the flight and landed safely at Hyderabad," an IndiGo spokesperson said.The personal electronic device (PED), containing a Li-ion battery, or power bank that caught fire was kept in overhead baggage.Many countries, including India, mandate that such devices be kept in front of passengers so they can quickly spot if they start emitting smoke or catch fire. The idea is to avoid delays.However, despite announcements, passengers ignore this instruction and keep power banks or portable electronic devices in bags placed in overhead bins.

The biggest concern remains airlines taking cabin bags from passengers at boarding gates to be kept in the aircraft's baggage hold.

These bags may contain PEDs and power banks, and a fire in the belly baggage hold may go undetected.The civil aviation ministry is aware of the issue and is working to resolve it."Another aircraft has been arranged to continue the journey to Chennai. We regret inconvenience caused to our customers due to this unforeseen situation and are making all efforts to minimise it, including offering refreshments and sharing updates. At IndiGo, safety of our customers and crew remains our top priority," the spokesperson added.