Lithium Battery Ignites Flames, Terrifies Plane Passengers

An Air China flight makes an emergency diversion to Shanghai due to a battery fire that breaks out in the cabin

Lithium Battery Ignites Flames, Terrifies Plane Passengers

By Bing Jabadan – TheNationWeek.Com | October 20, 2025

SHANGHAI, China – A mid-air nightmare unfolded aboard an Air China flight bound for Seoul on Saturday, October 18, 2025, when a lithium battery erupted in flames, engulfing the cabin in smoke and panic.

The terrifying incident forced the packed Flight CA139, carrying 160 passengers and crew, to make an emergency landing in Shanghai, leaving passengers shaken and highlighting escalating safety concerns surrounding lithium batteries in air travel.

Just moments after taking off from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, the flight became a scene of chaos as flames shot from an overhead compartment, fueled by a spontaneously combusting lithium battery in a passenger’s carry-on bag.

Chilling videos, rapidly circulating on social media, captured the pandemonium as passengers screamed and flight attendants desperately battled the blaze with fire extinguishers.

“It was like something out of a movie,” one passenger recounted, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The smoke was so thick, you could barely see. People were terrified.”

Air China confirmed the incident in a statement, attributing the fire to a “spontaneous combustion” of the battery.

The swift actions of the crew prevented any injuries.

The aircraft was diverted to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, landing safely around 11 a.m. local time.

Passengers were later transferred to a replacement plane to continue their journey to Seoul, but the psychological scars of the incident lingered.

The Air China scare is the latest in a troubling series of lithium battery-related incidents plaguing Asian airlines.

Recent months have seen similar incidents on China Southern Airlines and Air Busan flights, raising urgent questions about the adequacy of current safety regulations.

The Federal Aviation Administration has long warned of the dangers of “thermal runaway” in lithium-ion batteries – a chain reaction that can lead to explosions if the battery is damaged, overheated, or overcharged.

This risk has prompted airlines worldwide to restrict lithium batteries in checked baggage, while the Transportation Security Administration mandates that uninstalled batteries remain in carry-on luggage with strict watt-hour limits.

The incident has renewed calls for stricter regulations and increased passenger awareness of the risks associated with lithium batteries.

China has tightened rules, prohibiting power banks without certified safety markings on domestic flights and restricting their storage in overhead compartments.

“This incident is a wake-up call,” said aviation safety expert Dr. Li Wei.

“We need a comprehensive review of regulations and enforcement to prevent these potentially catastrophic events from happening again.”

As investigations into the Air China fire continue, one thing is clear: the skies are becoming increasingly fraught with the hidden dangers of everyday electronic devices, demanding immediate and decisive action to protect passenger safety.