A British Airways flight turned back to Gatwick after a power bank caught fire on board about 15 minutes after take-off, according to Sussex News. The device is understood to have ignited in a male passenger’s pocket. One man reportedly suffered burns and needed medical treatment, and other passengers reportedly sought treatment for possible smoke inhalation.
When. Thursday morning, 15 October 2026, according to Sussex News. Euro Weekly News reported it on Friday 16 October.
Flight. A British Airways flight from Gatwick to Bari in Italy, according to Sussex News. It returned to Gatwick.
Injuries. One man reportedly suffered burns. Other passengers reportedly sought treatment over possible smoke inhalation.
Who put it out. Cabin crew, who helped the injured man, put out the fire and made the device safe.
What passengers described
A passenger reportedly heard someone shout “fire”, noticed a burning smell, then saw flames halfway down the aisle. One passenger described it as the “scariest moment” of her life in an online post, according to Sussex News. The Euro Weekly News report says a passenger’s account was first published by the London Standard.
What British Airways said
“Safety is always our top priority and our flight landed back at Gatwick following this incident.
We’re extremely grateful for the actions of our crew on the flight to resolve the issue swiftly and safely.
We’re sorry to our customers for the delay to their travel plans and thank them for bearing with us.”
British Airways spokesperson
Half-term flights: power bank advice
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a lithium battery safety checklist ahead of the October half-term, which runs from Friday 23 to Friday 30 October 2026, according to Sussex News. The CAA estimates 2,962,834 passengers will depart from airports across England and Wales in that time, including 2,025,877 from London airports such as Gatwick.
Packing. Keep power banks in your cabin bag, and check your airline’s rules on battery capacity and how many you can take.
Charging. Never charge a power bank during a flight.
If a battery gets hot. Switch it off, stop charging it and tell cabin crew straight away.
If there is smoke or fire. Alert cabin crew immediately and do not try to deal with it yourself.
Vapes. Carry them in the cabin and never use them on board.
“Recognising the warning signs and alerting cabin crew quickly could make an important difference.”
Glenn Bradley, Head of Flight Operations, Civil Aviation Authority
The Euro Weekly News report says British Airways limits passengers to two power banks each, which must be in hand baggage and must not be recharged using aircraft power. The CAA’s full checklist is part of its Pack Right campaign.
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