An Air China flight to Seoul, South Korea, made an emergency landing in Shanghai on Saturday, October 18, after a lithium battery caught fire in the cabin.
In a statement published online, Air China confirmed the incident.
“On October 18, on flight CA139 from Hangzhou to Incheon, a lithium battery in a passenger’s carry-on luggage stored in the overhead compartment spontaneously ignited,” the airline wrote.
With the video of the incident going viral on social media, the statement assured that the team handled the situation swiftly. There were no casualties, nor was anyone injured, it added.
The plane proceeded to make an “unscheduled landing” at Shanghai Pudong International Airport to ensure flight and passenger safety.
According to Air China, the flight departed Hangzhou at 9:47 am on Saturday and was scheduled to arrive at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport at 12:20 pm
Power banks without Chinese safety certification markings were banned from June 2025 on domestic flights, after Hong Kong’s civil aviation authorities announced a ban on using power banks during flights. Furthermore, power banks recalled by manufacturers are prohibited, and the use of power banks to charge devices during flights is also not allowed.
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