Delta Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Lithium Battery Fire

Fort Myers, Florida — A Delta Air Lines flight made an emergency landing on Monday after a passenger’s lithium battery-powered device caught fire during the flight. The incident is one of 35 similar events that have occurred on U.S. flights in 2025, according to recent data.

The Delta flight was traveling from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when it was forced to land in Fort Myers. A spokesperson for Delta confirmed that flight attendants effectively used a fire containment bag to extinguish the flames caused by the passenger’s personal device.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported an average of nearly six lithium battery incidents per month so far this year. This marks a slight decline compared to the same period in 2024 when the average exceeded seven incidents monthly. Both the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) prohibit portable chargers from being checked in luggage but allow them in carry-on bags.

In May, Southwest Airlines took additional precautions, banning passengers from charging devices with power banks inside carry-on bags due to concerns about overheating and fires. Air Busan, a South Korean low-cost carrier, has also restricted the storage of carry-on luggage containing portable chargers in overhead bins following a fire that destroyed a passenger jet earlier this year.

Since tracking began in 2006, the FAA has recorded 632 lithium battery incidents, with over one-third involving portable battery packs. Last year alone saw 89 incidents, averaging 1.7 per week. The increase in these incidents correlates with the rising use of lithium-ion powered devices, including laptops, tablets, and cell phones.

According to an FAA study, lithium batteries pose a potential safety risk due to the possibility of thermal runaway, a rapid rise in temperature and pressure leading to the release of flammable gases. These batteries can overheat for various reasons such as damage, electrical issues, extreme temperatures, and product defects.

“The prevalence of lithium batteries is a potential hazard to aircraft safety,” the study states. Aviation safety expert John Cox noted that incidents often produce considerable smoke, which alerts passengers and crew before a fire escalates. However, sometimes devices do go into thermal runaway, as seen in incidents earlier this year with American Airlines and United Airlines flights.