AMSTERDAM--A KLM flight bound for Curaçao was forced to turn around over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday after a passenger’s power bank caught fire on board, according to RTL Nieuws.
Flight KL735 had departed Amsterdam for Curaçao when the power bank caught fire while the aircraft was over the Atlantic. Crew members were able to extinguish the fire, and no injuries were reported. The captain subsequently decided to return the aircraft to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
The aircraft landed safely at Schiphol at approximately 8:40 p.m. Passengers had spent about five and a half hours in the air before returning to the Netherlands.
KLM told RTL Nieuws that affected passengers would be rebooked. The next scheduled flight to Curaçao is on Friday, although the airline could not immediately confirm whether all passengers from Thursday’s flight would be accommodated because Curaçao is a heavily travelled destination.
The incident also highlights airline restrictions surrounding portable battery packs. KLM permits passengers to carry a maximum of two power banks, which must be transported in hand luggage and kept visible. According to the airline’s rules cited by RTL, power banks may not be used or charged during the flight.
KLM said the passenger whose power bank caught fire would not face a fine. The airline said passengers are informed at the beginning of flights that power banks may not be used on board, but KLM does not issue fines for violations of that rule.
The latest incident follows a similar case last summer, when KLM cabin crew had to extinguish a power bank that began smoking during a flight to São Paulo. At the time, it was the first reported instance in which a power bank had to be extinguished on board a KLM aircraft.
KLM has specific rules governing the transport of power banks. Travelers may carry up to two power banks, each with a maximum capacity of 100 watt hours, in their hand luggage. The devices must remain visible to the traveler and may not be stored in the overhead bins.
