An IndiGo flight 6E 6115 from Delhi to Chennai was diverted to Hyderabad on Sunday, 11 October, after a passenger’s power bank reportedly caught fire in an overhead luggage compartment. The cabin crew extinguished the fire, and the aircraft landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. All passengers and crew were reported safe.
The incident comes as India’s aviation regulator restricts the use and storage of power banks during flights. It also highlights a key challenge for aircraft crews: responding quickly when a battery begins smoking or burning inside a crowded cabin.
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Why Is a Battery Fire Difficult to Contain Inside an Aircraft?
Power banks use lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries, which can overheat due to damage, manufacturing defects or internal short circuits.
This can trigger thermal runaway, a chain reaction that generates more heat and can lead to fire, hazardous gases and reignition even after the visible flames are extinguished.
An overhead compartment can make the situation harder to manage. The device may go unnoticed, bags can obstruct access, and smoke can spread through the cabin. Keeping power banks accessible allows the crew to detect and reach a burning device more quickly.
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What Can Cabin Crew Do When a Power Bank Catches Fire?
Cabin crew are trained to respond to onboard fires. On IndiGo flight 6E 6115, reports said the crew used fire extinguishers to put out the flames.
However, extinguishing visible flames may not eliminate the risk of reignition. Crew must follow emergency procedures and monitor the situation. Passengers should immediately alert the crew if a device overheats, swells, smokes or gives off an unusual smell, rather than trying to handle the fire themselves.
The cause of the fire on this flight has not been confirmed. A manufacturing defect, physical damage or an internal short circuit are possible causes of battery fires generally, but none has been established in this case.
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What Are the Rules for Carrying Power Banks on Flights?
In November 2025, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an advisory prohibiting passengers from using power banks to charge devices during flights or storing them in overhead compartments. Airlines were also directed to inform passengers about lithium battery risks.
IndiGo’s policy requires power banks and spare lithium batteries to be carried in hand baggage, kept within passengers’ reach and not stored in overhead compartments.
The reported location of the device raises questions about how these rules are followed. However, the available information does not establish how the power bank came to be stored there or whether a specific instruction was breached.
The rules address where power banks can be carried and stored, as well as their use during flights. But preventing every battery malfunction remains difficult, making safe handling, passenger awareness and prompt reporting important.
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What Happens Next?
IndiGo said it arranged an alternative aircraft to take passengers to Chennai. The airline’s statement did not establish the cause of the fire.
Further details would be needed to determine what triggered the incident. For now, it remains unclear whether a defect, damage or another factor was responsible. The incident also highlights the challenge of ensuring passengers follow battery storage rules and that crew can quickly access a device if it catches fire.
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TL;DR | News At A Glance
What happened: A power bank reportedly caught fire onboard an IndiGo flight.
Flight: 6E 6115, from Delhi to Chennai.
When: Sunday, 11 October 2026.
Where: The aircraft diverted to Hyderabad and landed safely.
What happens next: IndiGo arranged an alternative aircraft for passengers.
Why it matters: DGCA rules prohibit using power banks to charge devices during flights and storing them in overhead compartments.
