Power bank fire forces IndiGo flight from Delhi to Chennai to divert to Hyderabad
A power bank caught fire in an overhead bin on an IndiGo Airbus A321 flying from Delhi to Chennai on Sunday, 11 October 2026. The crew put the flames out, and the pilots diverted the aircraft to Hyderabad, where it landed safely.
The flight and the fire
On Sunday, 11 October 2026, IndiGo flight 6E 6115, an Airbus A321 flying from Delhi to Chennai, was carrying more than 180 passengers, according to Ziare.com. The aircraft departed Delhi at 13:30 local time with arrival in Chennai scheduled for 16:00, although Il Fatto Quotidiano reported a 20-minute departure delay. Smoke and flames then appeared in an overhead luggage bin, where a passenger's power bank was reportedly stored. Radio Zet reported that the fire quickly spread to neighbouring bags. Passengers tried to smother the flames with bags and pieces of clothing while calling out to the crew, and cabin crew then put the fire out with extinguishers. Videos shared on social media show smoke in the cabin and passengers watching anxiously as the crew worked to contain the blaze.
Diversion to Hyderabad
The pilots diverted the aircraft to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, where it landed at 15:59 local time, according to Ziare.com. IndiGo said in a statement that the flight was diverted after smoke was detected from a passenger's personal electronic device, that cabin crew responded promptly and that the situation was brought under control. The airline said the diversion followed its established protocols and that an alternative aircraft was provided for the onward trip to Chennai. According to Ziare.com, passengers were offered drinks and snacks, and IndiGo said it regretted the inconvenience caused. No injuries were reported in the sources.
- Flight departs Delhi for Chennai
- Aircraft lands at Hyderabad after diversion
Why lithium batteries are a concern
Telegraaf explains that a damaged or faulty lithium-ion battery can enter thermal runaway, a process in which the battery grows hotter and can produce smoke, fire or a small explosion. Citing Bild, Telegraaf reported that after the fire was put out, the crew cooled the battery to stop its cells from igniting again. Telegraaf also reports that IATA calls this the main reason for strict rules on carrying power banks on aircraft. Il Fatto Quotidiano notes that recharging electronic devices from power banks on board aircraft has been banned since the end of 2025. Telegraaf adds that the crew located the source of the smoke only some time after it was first noticed, and that passengers did not know where it came from.
Earlier incidents
Il Fatto Quotidiano says a similar fire broke out in an aircraft cabin in India last May. Ziare.com reports that six people were injured in May 2026 in a similar fire on an IndiGo aircraft in Chandigarh. Radio Zet reports that several weeks earlier a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Lisbon had a power bank catch fire, forcing a diversion to Lyon in France. Telegraaf reports that in September 2026 a power bank exploded and caught fire on a KLM Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Curacao over the Atlantic, and the airline turned back to Amsterdam.
