Power banks must be carried in hand baggage and cannot be used at any point during a flight under DGCA rules. (Representative image/ AI Generated) An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Chennai made an emergency landing at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on Sunday, 11 October, after a passenger’s power bank, kept in the overhead bin, caught fire mid-air. Flight 6E 6115 filled with smoke, and the cabin crew put out the fire and landed the aircraft safely. Authorities have launched an investigation. “6E 6115 was diverted to Hyderabad after smoke was detected from a customer’s PED. The cabin crew responded promptly and the situation was brought under control. In line with established protocols, the pilots diverted the flight and landed safely at Hyderabad,” IndiGo said in a statement. A similar incident occurred in May. After an IndiGo flight from Hyderabad landed at Chandigarh, a passenger’s power bank caught fire and all 198 passengers and six crew were evacuated using slides. The device was reportedly in a seat pocket. No passenger injuries were reported. In October last year, a power bank stored in a seat-back pocket caught fire on a Delhi-Dimapur IndiGo flight while the aircraft was taxiing at Delhi Airport. The incidents have again raised concerns about lithium-ion batteries on aircraft. But why can power banks become a safety hazard, and what are the rules for carrying them? This means it heats itself uncontrollably, producing smoke, flames and sometimes explosive venting. The fire is hard to put out because the cell generates its own heat and can reignite. In a pressurised cabin, smoke and fumes spread quickly. A fire that starts in an overhead bin is also harder to detect and contain, as the 11 October incident showed. This is why the aviation regulator has moved against storing power banks there. Travel News - Find latest news and tips based on Indian and World travel including top 10 travel destination, tourism information, how to reach visit and more at Times Now. Namya is a seasoned journalist with nearly two decades of experience. A graduate of Miranda House, Delhi University, and Boston University's College o... View More