Passengers whose flight was disrupted after a power bank reportedly belonging to a former KLM chief executive exploded mid-flight will not receive compensation from the airline.
KLM flight KL735 was travelling from Amsterdam to Curaçao on 17 September when the portable charger caught fire in the Business Class cabin over the Atlantic.
The crew quickly extinguished the flames, but the captain decided to turn the Boeing 777 around and return to Amsterdam. The aircraft reportedly spent almost 11 hours in the air without reaching its destination, while the 322 passengers arrived in Curaçao around 25 hours late.
Dutch broadcaster RTL Nieuws reported that the power bank belonged to former KLM president and chief executive Camiel Eurlings, citing passengers and sources familiar with the incident.
One passenger seated nearby claimed the device was being charged when it caught fire, despite KLM prohibiting passengers from using or charging power banks during a flight.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang before flames rose above the seat and reached towards the cabin ceiling. Photographs circulating after the incident showed scorch marks around the seat and window area.
Eurlings reportedly suffered minor injuries and was said to be “extremely shocked” by the incident.
KLM has not officially confirmed that he owned the device, citing passenger privacy, but said its crew followed the correct procedures and brought the fire under control.
The airline has now confirmed that affected passengers will not receive the €600 compensation that can ordinarily apply under European passenger rights legislation.
“Passengers have been informed that they may submit claims for reasonably incurred costs resulting from the disruption at KLM,” the airline said.
“On the basis of European passenger rights, this constitutes an extraordinary circumstance and therefore there is no entitlement to compensation of €600 per passenger.”
Passengers were accommodated overnight in Amsterdam and rebooked on another aircraft the following day. KLM reportedly cancelled a Los Angeles service to free up the replacement plane.
Passenger rights specialist Paul Vaneker, from claims company EU Claim, agreed that the fire constituted an extraordinary circumstance outside KLM’s control, although he questioned whether the airline could have done more to limit the resulting delay.
“The only point that might be open to debate is whether KLM took sufficient reasonable measures to minimise the delay,” he told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
“With a 25-hour delay, one could argue that KLM should have deployed a rescue aircraft.”
KLM permits passengers to carry up to two power banks in the cabin, but they must remain readily accessible and cannot be used or charged during the flight.
Featured image is AI generated for illustrative purposes and not from the KLM incident.
