BEIJING — A routine international flight turned into a life-threatening situation on Saturday when a lithium-ion battery in a passenger’s carry-on luggage spontaneously caught fire on board Air China Flight CA139, prompting the crew to divert the aircraft to Shanghai for an emergency landing. The incident highlights persistent safety concerns over lithium battery combustion and the challenges airlines face in managing such risks at 30,000 feet.
Flight CA139 departed from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport at 9:47 a.m. local time en route to Incheon International Airport near Seoul. Approximately midway through the nearly three-hour journey, passengers reported smoke emanating from an overhead bin. According to the airline, “[a] lithium battery spontaneously ignited in a passenger’s carry-on luggage stored in the overhead bin,” triggering an emergency response from the flight crew.
Flight attendants immediately initiated standard fire-suppression procedures, opened containment bags, retrieved fire extinguishers, and ordered passengers to remain seated while the flames were extinguished safely. “The crew followed procedures to isolate the device. The fire was contained before it spread, and no injuries were reported,” Air China said in a statement posted on its official Weibo account. Despite the calm and efficient handling, smoke briefly filled the cabin, and a passenger was seen attempting to douse the flames before crew intervened.
Pilots declared an emergency and diverted the Airbus A321 to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, where it touched down safely shortly after 11 a.m. local time. Emergency crews met the plane on arrival, extinguishing any residual heat and ensuring the aircraft posed no further danger before passengers disembarked without incident.
Experts stress that lithium-ion battery fires remain one of aviation’s most challenging in-flight hazards. Thermal runaway — an uncontrollable surge in battery temperature — can trigger spontaneous combustion when a device is damaged, improperly handled, or suffers a manufacturing defect. Because of this risk, global aviation authorities require that batteries, power banks, and e-cigarettes remain in cabin baggage, where crews can respond swiftly in an emergency. In China, the Civil Aviation Administration last year began enforcing stricter safety standards, including the mandatory “3C” certification for power banks and bans on recalled or uncertified devices.
This is not the first time such a fire has forced a diversion. In March 2025, Hong Kong Airlines Flight 115 from Hangzhou to Hong Kong was diverted after an overheated power bank ignited, while Air Busan Flight 391 caught fire pre-takeoff in Busan, leading to a full evacuation earlier this year. These incidents have driven global regulators to tighten power-bankproofing requirements and enhance passenger safety guidelines for battery-powered devices.
