KLM files complaint over power bank fire on Curaçao flight from Amsterdam

The flight and the decision to turn back

KLM has filed a complaint against a passenger after a power bank caught fire on its flight from Amsterdam to Curaçao on 17 September. The airline confirmed the flight to the NOS but would not say who the complaint targets or exactly what it covers. The Boeing 777 turned around after hours of flying. Crew members put out the fire, but the captain still chose to fly back to Amsterdam.

Who the battery may belong to

Several outlets have named Camiel Eurlings, a former KLM director and Limburg politician, as the owner of the device. According to reports, the battery came from his bag and he was using it during the flight, which KLM rules do not allow. Another version said he had fallen asleep while charging it in business class. He reportedly was sleeping when the power bank caught fire and suffered minor injuries. The NOS said several sources on board confirmed the reports. KLM has not confirmed that the complaint concerns him, and a spokesperson declined to say whether it does.

KLM's position and the prosecutor

KLM investigated the incident and said that filing a complaint is usual when passengers commit serious violations of safety rules that put the safety of a flight, its passengers and crew at risk. The airline also said the crew acted in line with the applicable regulations and that the fire was put out. In its statement, KLM added a short line on its priorities.

“Safety always comes first.”

The Openbaar Ministerie told ANP it had not yet decided whether to prosecute.

Battery fires on aircraft

Lithium-ion batteries can undergo a chemical reaction when they overheat, which in the worst case leads to a fire. Power banks may not be carried in the hold, because crew could not fight a fire there. The US Federal Aviation Administration counted 97 cases in 2025, and European figures are not available. KLM had a similar incident on a flight to São Paulo in 2025. In January 2025 an Air Busan aircraft in South Korea largely burned out, probably after a portable battery caught fire, although it had not yet taken off. The 176 people on board could be evacuated.