A Lufthansa passenger airplane flying was diverted after a passenger's powerbank caught fire on board, the airline said.
The aircraft was flying from Frankfurt to Lisbon and was ultimately diverted to the French city of Lyon, where it landed safely at around 10 p.m. (20:00 UTC) on Saturday evening, the German flag carrier said.
The 198 passengers and six crew members on board the flight were put up in hotels for the night and rebooked onto alternative connections to Lisbon the following day.
Travelers often carry powerbanks to charge their smartphones, in the event that no power outlet is available. But using powerbanks has been banned on Lufthansa Group flights since the beginning of 2026. The airline made an exception for the use of approved medical devices.
Lufthansa does not allow the powerbanks to be stored in overhead compartments, only in the front seat pocket, on the passenger's person or in hand luggage stored under the seat.
The crew on the Lisbon-bound flight were able to secure the powerbank in a designated lithium safe bag until landing.
Deutsche Welle (DW) is Germany's international public broadcaster. Funded by the German federal government while operating under editorial independence, it provides impartial news, in-depth analysis, and media development services in 32 languages, including English. Webdunia has a content partnership with DW to publish its content.....
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