Lufthansa flight to Lisbon diverts to Lyon after powerbank catches fire

A Lufthansa aircraft travelling from Frankfurt to Lisbon diverted to Lyon on Saturday evening after a passenger's external battery caught fire in the cabin. Flight LH1170, an Airbus A321-200, carried 198 passengers and six crew members when the device ignited near a passenger seat, according to reports from Kathimerini and other outlets. Crew members acted quickly to contain the burning electronic device by placing it inside a specialised safety bag designed for lithium batteries.

The pilot decided to divert the aircraft as a precautionary measure following the onboard fire. The plane landed safely at the airport in Lyon shortly before 23:00 Greek time, according to Kathimerini. Local media reported that passengers and the six crew members spent the night at a local hotel before continuing their journey to the Portuguese capital the following day. No injuries were reported during the incident, as confirmed by airline representatives and news agencies.

Lufthansa enforces strict regulations regarding portable chargers inside aircraft cabins. Since January 2026, the German airline has prohibited passengers from using or charging powerbanks while in flight, though travellers are permitted to bring up to two devices on board under specific safety conditions. Airline officials expressed regret for the travel disruption and reiterated that the safety of passengers and crew remains their primary operational concern.

Aviation authorities and carriers monitor lithium battery safety closely following recent events on commercial routes. NOS and RTL Nieuws noted that a KLM flight travelling to Curaçao recently turned back after a powerbank caught fire in the business class cabin, resulting in burns for a passenger. Die Zeit also reported that another Lufthansa flight travelling from Frankfurt to Toronto recently diverted to Manchester in the United Kingdom after an unpleasant odour was detected in the aircraft.