IndiGo power bank fire flight diverted: Delhi-Chennai plane lands in Hyderabad
Key takeaways
- A power bank caught fire in an overhead bin on IndiGo flight 6E 6115. It happened on Oct 11, 2026. The flight landed in Hyderabad with 191 people on board.
- Cabin crew put out the flames with fire extinguishers, according to NDTV. IndiGo said smoke from a passenger's device forced the diversion. An alternate aircraft flew passengers to Chennai.
- India's DGCA barred in-flight power bank use in Nov 2025. Cheap cells and short circuits cause these fires. An IIT Bombay professor told the Indian Express.
On October 11, 2026, a passenger's power bank caught fire on an IndiGo flight. It was stored in an overhead bin. The flight ran from Delhi to Chennai.
The Airbus A321 landed safely in Hyderabad. All 191 people on board were unhurt, the airline said.
What happened
Flight 6E 6115 left Delhi at 1:30 pm on Sunday. It was bound for Chennai. The aircraft was an Airbus A321-251N, NDTV reported.
It was scheduled to reach Chennai at 4:00 pm.
Mid-flight, smoke rose from the overhead luggage compartment. A passenger's power bank had caught fire inside the bin. Al Jazeera confirmed the device was a power bank that caught fire mid-flight.
A video filmed by a passenger shows the panic. Other passengers dab at the flames with bags and pieces of cloth. A voice urges everyone not to panic, NDTV reported.
The cabin crew acted fast. They put out the fire with onboard fire extinguishers. IndiGo said the crew responded promptly.
It said the situation was brought under control.
The pilots then diverted to Hyderabad. The plane landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. It touched down at about 3:15 pm, the Hindustan Times reported.
The fire was already out by then. So the airport did not declare a full emergency, an airport official said.
IndiGo confirmed the diversion in a statement. It said smoke was detected from a passenger's personal electronic device. It said the pilots diverted under standard safety protocols, according to NDTV.
IndiGo arranged an alternate aircraft. Passengers continued their journey to Chennai. The airline apologized for the inconvenience.
It offered refreshments and updates to passengers, NDTV reported.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, the Indian Express reported. The aircraft was grounded for checks after landing, according to Business Standard reporting.
Why it matters
How a lithium battery catches fire
A power bank stores energy in small lithium-ion cells. These cells pack a lot of energy into a small space. If one cell gets damaged or overheated, it heats itself up fast.
This sets off nearby cells in a chain reaction. In plain words, the battery makes its own heat and cannot stop. This chain reaction is called thermal runaway.
It can smoke or burst into flames within seconds.
Cheap or fake cells make this far worse. Sagar Mitra is a professor at IIT Bombay. He told the Indian Express that many power banks use low-quality or recycled cells.
These can hide tiny defects inside. A small bump during the flight can cause an internal short circuit. An internal short lets power flow the wrong way inside the battery.
That creates heat. That heat can start a fire, Mitra said.
User habits add to the risk. Vivek Panchal works at battery maker Powertron. He told the Indian Express that many people overcharge their power banks.
They leave them in hot places. They keep using damaged devices. All of this makes a fire more likely, he said.
The US Federal Aviation Administration warns about this risk. It says a battery can fail if damaged, overheated, overcharged, or badly made. This comes from Business Standard reporting.
This is not the first time
In May 2026, a power bank exploded on another IndiGo flight. That flight had just landed in Chandigarh. The device sat inside a seat pocket, the Indian Express reported.
Passengers were evacuated in an emergency. Six people were hurt, and one suffered a leg fracture, the Hindustan Times reported.
The problem is global. In June 2024, a power bank exploded on an Air Arabia flight. The flight ran from Abu Dhabi to Kozhikode.
In March 2025, a power bank fire badly damaged a South Korean plane. It happened before take-off, the Indian Express reported.
The rules already existed
In November 2025, India's aviation regulator DGCA issued an advisory. It banned passengers from using or charging power banks during flights. It also barred storing power banks in overhead bins, the Indian Express reported.
The reason is simple. A fire inside a closed bin is hard to reach. The crew loses precious minutes.
If the device sits within reach, the crew can act fast.
Most Indian airlines, including IndiGo, already ban power banks in checked baggage. They allow them in cabin bags only. Keeping them in the cabin lets the crew spot smoke early.
Aviation expert Jai Rao told the Indian Express this. A fire in the cargo hold would be far harder to fight, he said. Checked bags travel where no one can reach them.
(Here is what happens to checked bags on a layover. )
The key detail: this flight's power bank sat in an overhead bin. That is exactly where the DGCA had warned passengers not to put it.
What happens next
Investigators will now trace why the device caught fire. Their findings may push airlines to enforce the overhead-bin rule more strictly. Airlines may also step up in-flight announcements about lithium battery risks.
The incident will renew pressure on passengers too. The rule is clear, but many flyers still store power banks in overhead bins. One viral video may change that habit fast.
Diversions like this also scramble travel plans. (What flight delays and announcements really mean can help you decode the next one.)
How to fly safely with a power bank
- Charge it to 80%, not 100%. A full battery is under more stress.
- Keep it with you. Under the seat or in a seat pocket is fine. Never put it in an overhead bin or checked bag.
- Stop using it if it gets too hot, swells, leaks, or smells strange. These are warning signs, Mitra told the Indian Express.
- Buy from known brands. Look for a good warranty and safety marks.
- Do not use or charge it during the flight. The DGCA banned this in November 2025.
- Heat is the main enemy of batteries. If your phone gets hot while charging, treat that as a warning sign too.
- If a device overheats, tell the cabin crew at once. They are trained to fight battery fires.
Investigators will trace the cause of this fire in the coming weeks. Their findings may tighten how airlines enforce the overhead-bin rule. For passengers, the lesson is already clear.
Keep power banks close, cool, and off during the flight. Simple care can stop the next fire before it starts.
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