An Alaska Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing on Sunday after a passenger’s power bank caught fire inside the cabin. As a result, the incident left one passenger injured. This raises the question of whether power banks are safe during flights.
Power Bank Catches Fire
The incident occurred on Sunday, February 22, aboard a flight from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington. Alaska Airlines flight 2117, operated by regional airline Horizon Air, was only 15 minutes into the flight when fire erupted from a passenger’s power bank.
One of the passengers onboard, Leana Stickler, told KAKE that “It was just sitting in her lap…not being touched, and it exploded.” She described the flame as being about a foot high.
The fire burned the woman’s arms and legs. The woman immediately tossed the power bank into the aisle.
“Somebody threw a towel on it, and I hit it with my shoe,” Stickler added.
Shortly after, flight attendants rushed in with fire extinguishers as the cabin filled with smoke.
Emergency Landing
The Wichita Airport Authority confirmed to People’s Magazine that the aircraft returned safely after “a passenger’s external battery caught fire mid-flight.” Three passengers were evaluated by emergency personnel. One of them, believed to be the owner of the device, was brought to the hospital.
Alaska Airlines told People Magazine that both the external battery and the phone were sealed in a containment bag as the plane prepared for an emergency landing.
According to Alaska Airlines, “Our guests arrived in Seattle on a later flight.” “We appreciated their patience,” it added.
In 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration reported 95 incidents involving lithium batteries on flights that produced extreme heat, smoke, or fire. That’s an increase of 89 cases compared to the previous year. In 2026, as of February 15, five verified incidents have already been recorded.
In a report by the agency, all lithium-ion batteries can undergo a process called thermal runaway. However, this can happen without warning. As a precaution, all spare lithium-ion batteries must be in a passenger’s carry-on bag.
