The terrifying incident happened aboard Air China Flight CA139 while en-route from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport to Incheon International Airport in Seoul.
The aircraft was cruising when the battery in a passenger’s carry-on luggage located in the overhead bin caught fire.
Flames burst from the luggage compartment, followed by thick smoke, sending passengers into a panic. Flight attendants rushed to the scene with fire extinguishers and put the fire out.
The crew diverted the Airbus A321 to Shanghai Pudong International Airport for an emergency landing.
According to the airline’s official statement on Weibo, there were no injuries and the aircraft sustained no structural damage. A replacement aircraft transported passengers onward to Seoul.
Aviation safety experts say such incidents are part of a growing trend of lithium-ion battery fires in aircraft cabins and holds – due to thermal-runaway behaviour when batteries are damaged, overheated or improperly packed.
