Air China Flight Diverts to Shanghai After Overhead-Bin Battery Fire
- On October 18, Air China diverted a passenger flight to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, landing shortly after 11am with no injuries reported, officials said.
- A lithium battery in a carry-on spontaneously ignited in an overhead bin, and the crew quickly contained it, prompting an unscheduled landing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
- A passenger image showed bright flames in an overhead bin and black smoke filled the cabin as at least one passenger tried to extinguish the blaze, while passengers shouted in Korean.
- Scheduled arrival at Incheon International Airport was disrupted after Flightradar24 recorded the flight’s 9.47am departure from Hangzhou, forcing a route change.
- Air China confirmed the incident in a social media post, and media outlets published images and timelines on October 18, 2025.
94 Articles
94 Articles
Panic erupts on passenger jet as overhead locker bursts into flames mid-flight
A plane travelling from China to South Korea had its overhead luggage compartment burst into flames during the flight.The Air China cabin quickly filled with smoke after a lithium battery stored in a passenger's carry-on luggage started the fire at 33,000ft.The plane had 160 passengers on board as it flew from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport to Incheon.Smoke made its way through the cabin as passengers called crew members to use the fire…
Lithium battery stored in Air China passenger’s case explodes into flames on flight
A fire broke out on an Air China flight when a lithium battery stored in a passenger’s carry-on luggage burst into flames. Footage shows an overhead compartment ablaze as panicked passengers flag down the cabin crew who rushed down the aisle towards the fire. The flight from Hangzhou, China to Incheon, South Korea on Saturday (18 October) was forced to make an emergency landing in Shanghai. “A lithium battery spontaneously ignited in a passenger…
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