Lufthansa Plane Forced to Land in France After Power Bank Catches Fire

Lufthansa told the German News Agency (dpa) on Sunday that a passenger flight bound for Lisbon from Frankfurt was diverted to Lyon, France, after a portable power bank belonging to a passenger caught fire on board.

The German airline said the plane landed safely in Lyon around 10 p.m. (20:00 GMT) on Saturday.

It added that the crew of flight LH 1170 had placed the portable charging battery in a special safety bag designed for lithium batteries.

The 198 passengers and six crew members spent the night in hotels, and alternative flights to Lisbon were booked for them the following day.

This was the second incident over the weekend involving a Lufthansa flight departing from Frankfurt.

The company said that earlier on Saturday, a Lufthansa flight carrying 371 passengers from Frankfurt to Toronto returned while flying over Scotland for safety reasons and landed in Manchester due to a smell detected inside the cabin.

Many travelers carry portable power banks to charge their smartphones when electrical outlets are unavailable.

However, Lufthansa Group has banned the use of portable power banks on its flights since the beginning of the year, with the exception of their use to power approved medical devices.

For safety reasons, portable power banks, such as e-cigarettes, are not allowed in checked baggage on Lufthansa flights and many other airlines.

On Lufthansa Group flights, portable power banks are not permitted in overhead bins; they must be kept in the seat pocket in front of the passenger, in the passenger’s possession, or inside a carry-on bag placed under the seat.