SWISS flight from Zurich to New York diverts after headphone case emits smoke

A Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) plane flying from Zurich to New York had to be diverted this week after smoke was found in the cabin. The cause was a Bluetooth headphone charging case with a lithium-ion battery that had fallen between the seats.

SWISS flight LX16 diverted to Maine due to smoke

On Monday, July 27, SWISS flight LX16 was heading from Zurich to New York when the crew noticed smoke in the cabin. The plane was immediately diverted to Bangor International Airport in Maine, where it safely landed.

A technical team in Bangor have confirmed that a charging case for headphones caused the smoke. The case “slipped into a seat and became jammed there,” a SWISS press release explained. The damaged device then heated up and started to produce smoke. Luckily, there was no fire.

The company thanked “the entire crew” who “acted immediately, purposefully and correctly. Safety always comes first for us.” 

Image credit: SWISS

SWISS rules for power banks and lithium batteries

Following the incident, SWISS reminded future travellers of current carry-on hand luggage regulations for electronic devices, particularly power banks and items containing lithium-ion batteries. 

Passengers are prohibited from using power banks on board flights, including for charging other electrical items or batteries, and the power bank itself. Only two power banks per person are allowed, and they must be kept on you, in the seat pocket or in carry-on baggage stored under the seat. You cannot put power banks in checked baggage or in overhead compartments. Visit the SWISS website for more details.

Lithium battery fires pose growing hazard to air travel

Airlines now have strict regulations when it comes to bringing electronic devices with lithium batteries onto planes. When devices are either damaged or malfunction, “they can overheat and, in the worst case, cause a fire.” 

Just a few days ago, CNN shared a video of a power bank that had caught on fire on a China Eastern flight. The Wall Street Journal went so far as to describe electronic devices as “the fastest-growing risk to air travel”. 

On the recent SWISS flight to the US, the charging case was small, with “a comparatively low battery capacity.” Larger devices and power banks have bigger batteries and can have “considerably more serious consequences,” Switzerland’s flagship airline explained.