A domestic Tianjin Airlines flight in China was thrown into alarm on Tuesday when a passenger’s rechargeable battery overheated and began emitting heavy smoke inside the cabin. The incident involved an Airbus A320-271N, and the smoke quickly spread enough to cause panic among passengers.
Flight attendants responded immediately and brought the fire under control using mineral water bottles available on board. The crew’s quick action prevented the situation from escalating further, and the aircraft later landed safely at Jiang Airport.
No injuries were reported among passengers or crew. The flight’s safe outcome came after the emergency landing, which was made because of the battery fire scare.
The episode adds to growing concern in aviation over lithium batteries on commercial aircraft and raises questions about whether stricter regulations are needed. Airlines have already been tightening procedures after a series of similar incidents involving energy storage batteries in recent times, underscoring ongoing safety worries.