IndiGo power bank fire: What happened on flight 6E6115, and what is disputed

What happened: a passenger’s power bank caught fire on IndiGo flight 6E6115 from Delhi to Chennai on October 11.

Response: the crew used a fire extinguisher, and the aircraft landed safely in Hyderabad.

Disputed: Zee News called it an emergency landing, while an airport official said no emergency was declared because the fire was out.

IndiGo’s statement: the airline apologised and arranged an alternate flight.

Not reported: the cause of the fire.

The aircraft was an Airbus A321neo, registered VT-NOE, according to The South First.

The flight left Delhi at about 1:30 pm and was due in Chennai at about 4 pm, according to the same report.

Cabin crew used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames, according to the reports.

The aircraft landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad.

All passengers were reported safe, and the reports mention no injuries.

TBS News reported that the aircraft carried 191 people, while The South First gave no passenger count, so the number is from one outlet.

IndiGo said the safety of customers and crew remains its top priority, and that the cabin crew acted promptly to control the situation before landing.

The airline apologised for the inconvenience and said it was offering refreshments and updates to passengers.

IndiGo said an alternate flight was being arranged to take passengers from Hyderabad to Chennai.

Zee News described the diversion as an emergency landing, but an airport official said no emergency or priority landing needed to be declared as the fire had already been put out.

Reports differ on the timing of the onward departure from Hyderabad, with one giving about 5:45 pm.

Power banks are lithium-ion batteries, and damaged or faulty cells can overheat and catch fire.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has advised airlines that passengers should carry power banks in hand baggage and not use or charge them during flights.

IndiGo Airbus A321neo (file image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0