Air China flight CA139, an Airbus A321-232 from Hangzhou, China was enroute to Seoul when smoke started coming out of an overhead bin. Then flames appeared. This was the result of a lithium-ion battery in a passenger’s carry-on bag that had gone into thermal runaway.
Flight attendants initiated emergency fire procedures. They retrieved fire extinguishers, opened the affected bin cautiously, and doused the burning luggage while instructing passengers to remain seated. Smoke spread briefly through the cabin but was contained before it reached hazardous levels.
The pilots declared an emergency and diverted the flight to Shanghai Pudong where the aircraft landed safely. Fire crews met the plane on arrival, and passengers disembarked without injury. Air China arranged a replacement aircraft for travelers continuing to Seoul.
Battery fire forced #AirChina flight #CA139 (#Hangzhou–#Incheon) to make emergency landing in #Shanghai today. The flight diverted to Pudong Airport after a lithium battery in overhead luggage self-ignited. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/nwQdEnEt6H
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) October 18, 2025
Breaking ! เที่ยวบิน CA139 ของ Air China เส้นทางหางโจว-โซล เกิดไฟลุกไหม้ในที่เก็บสัมภาระเหนือศีรษะ
นักบินต้องตัดสินใจลงจอดฉุกเฉินที่สนามบินเซี่ยงไฮ้ ผู่ตง ท่ามกลางความตกใจของผู้โดยสารบนเครื่อง
ล่าสุด สายการบินชี้แจง ต้นเพลิงมาจากพาวเวอร์แบงค์ที่อยู่ในสัมภาระของผู้โดยสาร pic.twitter.com/IUCM4AGFgY
— ️ CHERSAN SRISATJANG ✈️ (@RonallChersan) October 18, 2025
Fire breaks out in the overhead luggage bin on board Air China flight CA139 while flying between Hangzhou and Seoul.
It is understood that the cause of the fire was a lithium battery in a passenger's luggage spontaneously combusting.
The cabin crew contained the fire and the… pic.twitter.com/IV5LEYxIy5
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) October 18, 2025
Electronics fires are usually fully manageable when they occur inside the passenger cabin of an aircraft, but not as manageable when they occur inside the cargo hold of a plane. That’s why a generation of ‘smart’ suitcases were been banned even as carry on bags, since there’s always the chance a carry on with an un-removable battery might have to be checked.
This is why it was such a dangerous idea when the federal government sought to ban electronics in the passenger cabin in 2017, requiring customers to check them as baggage instead. Those fires might not get contained.
U.S. airlines board fire containment bags and heat resistant gloves on aircraft. That way when electronic devices catch fire they can deal with it. Once the electronics that caught fire is isolated, the fire containment bag gets stored in a metal cart in the galley, to be retrieved when the aircraft lands. Several world airlines, including Southwest Airlines, now requires that passengers keep portable charging devices in plain sight.
Glad they managed this as best as they could, limiting the damage and harm to those passengers. Keep those batteries out of cargo hold, for sure.
When I hear about fires onboard, I immediately think of Saudia flight 163 (1980), which was not as fortunate; that incident was on an L-10-11, but they delayed the evacuation, and sadly, all 301 died in that one.
Safety is serious stuff.
It is only a matter of time until one of the checked bags has a lithium battery and it ignites in an over-water flight. Let us all hope that this never happens, but even the best-designed systems can fail.
Ed Sparks58
You cannot extinguish these battery fires. Just contain until they burn out. The fire extinguisher was useless, but I assume the FA didn’t know that at first.
The IATA has a document labeled “Battery Guidance Document” that indicates lithium ion batteries should be air transported at 30% charge. This makes sense. The lower charge reduces stress within the battery and also provides less energy if the battery breaks down anyway. I’m not sure how such a requirement would be implemented on a passenger airplane if it were put in place. The fact is that companies like Amazon and Walmart have warehouses with powerbanks and other lithium ion battery containing equipment and there aren’t reports of them spontaneously bursting into flames due to lithium ion batteries. Several factor in play are that most of the batteries are new and almost all are not charged to 100% (I typically see from around 50% to around 80%). Individual airplane passengers can do their part by not charging their batteries and devices to 100%
@Kirk — Never say never… “To extinguish a battery fire, use a Class D fire extinguisher for metal fires, a foam extinguisher, or sand/dry chemical to smother the flames. For small lithium-ion batteries, pouring large amounts of water or submerging the battery is often effective to cool it.”
So, maybe they just need updated fire extinguishers that can handle the small lithium-ion batteries in carry-on, etc.
@Kirk, the battery fire had also caused some luggage to catch fire. The fire extinguisher was used on the luggage and therefore was not useless.
The lithium ion battery fire cannot be put out with ordinary powder fire extinguishers. However, the fire is usually not contained initially so it can ignite ordinary combustibles nearby. Fires of those can be suppressed with powder fire extinguishers.
jns says that the batteries should not be charged very much. Sorry but what about the little oxygen machines that some people need onboard? You most certainly need 100 percent charge along with spare batteries that are equally charged. You are not permitted to plug in to the onboard power receptacle. Battery only. Plus you need charged batteries before boarding and when getting off the plane. Lots of medical devices must have charged batteries! Even some wheel chairs. Then you have laptops, phones and headphones that use batteries. Weak batteries isn’t feasible. I don’t have the answer to the problem, just pointing out why that won’t work.
@1990 The reason the Saudia plane burned was because the incompetent crew could not figure out how to depressurize the aircraft and the doors would not open……
A small number of people need the medical machines mentioned. A carve out could be made for them. No need to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Further the argument of needing 100% charge on the batteries when stepping onto the airplane is suspect. Contingencies need to be considered but charging to 100% shortens the life of the batteries. Please cite a reputable study supporting your arguments. With a lot of people it is all about me, me, me. I tend to like my electronic toys, including powerbanks and I don’t want a situation where they are banned entirely on airplanes because people have to charge their batteries to the level where they could catch on fire to a greater degree.
Uncontrolled fire on a plane is a nightmare scenario, especially on a transoceanic flight where quick nearby emergency diversion is not possible. Its like those poor souls trapped in the Twin Towers during 9/11 except there arent even any windows on a plane from which to jump if the flames got too intense. I would have quicky lost it on this flight! All planes worldwide should have the proper equipment to safely contain and extinguish such in-flight fires.
How are people safe from that or any fires when they are seen in a gray haze?
It used to be (before they stopped being “tools” and became “lifestyle accessories”) that devices such as cellphones and laptops had easily removable batteries. I could easily see a not-too-distant future where passengers could only bring devices aboard aircraft sans batteries and a thriving battery-rental business at their destination.
This would also force manufacturers to adopt standardized form factors and connectors, which would not be a bad thing.
How are people safe from these or any fires when they are seen in a gray haze before the system clears it out?