On Saturday, September 26, 2026, a power bank caught fire on board Lufthansa flight LH1170. The 27-year-old Airbus A321-200, registered as D-AISB, was scheduled to fly from Frankfurt to Lisbon but had to divert to Lyon as a precaution following the incident. According to initial information from Lufthansa, nobody was injured. After the diversion to France, the passengers were initially unable to continue their journey and had to spend the night in Lyon.
Power Bank Catches Fire Mid-Flight
Lufthansa flight LH1170 departed from Frankfurt late on the evening of September 26. The aircraft was originally scheduled to depart at 7:40 PM, but eventually took off at 8:57 PM. During the flight, a passenger’s power bank overheated and eventually caught fire.
The device was subsequently secured by the cabin crew in a special lithium battery safety bag. Nevertheless, the pilots decided to divert to Lyon Airport as a precaution and declared an emergency. Nobody was injured in the incident.
A321 Lands in Lyon
The 27-year-old Airbus A321-200, registered D-AISB, landed in Lyon at around 9:55 PM local time. The flight was originally planned to continue to Lisbon after the landing. However, due to the late arrival in Lyon, Lufthansa decided not to continue the flight.
Passengers and Crew Spend the Night in Lyon
There were 198 passengers and six crew members on board at the time of the incident. Everyone was subsequently accommodated in hotels for the night. The passengers were rebooked onto other flights to Lisbon the following day.
The affected Airbus A321-200 returned from Lyon to Frankfurt on September 27 under flight number LH9923. The aircraft departed at 1:49 PM and landed in Frankfurt at 2:43 PM local time.
Lufthansa Tightens Power Bank Rules
Lithium-ion batteries have caused several incidents on board aircraft around the world in the past. Lufthansa has therefore introduced strict rules regarding the transportation and use of power banks.
According to the airline’s regulations, each passenger may carry a maximum of two power banks. They must be transported in carry-on baggage. Without additional approval, each power bank may have a maximum capacity of 100Wh or contain up to 2g of lithium.
The use and charging of power banks during the flight are generally prohibited. In addition, the devices must not be stored in the overhead compartments above the seats.
