A headphone charger that contained a lithium battery became overheated and started smoking before a Swiss Air flight made an emergency landing at the Bangor International Airport on Monday.
The charger, a standard case that is a power bank, became stuck between seats, and while jammed in the space, overheated and started smoking. That prompted the emergency landing so the plane crew could locate the smoke and assess any danger, according to a release from Swiss International Air Lines.
The smoke was seen in the cabin at the very front section of business class.
The runway at Bangor International Airport was closed Monday morning as the plane made the emergency landing. The flight had left from Zurich, Switzerland, and had been scheduled to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
Swiss Air passengers are prohibited from using power banks on board, a rule put in place at the beginning of the year. That also includes charging the power bank itself. While passengers are allowed to carry power banks, such as headphone chargers, they are limited to two per passenger. There are a handful of other regulations, including prohibiting their storage in overhead compartments, that Swiss Air has put in place.
If they are not used and charged correctly, or become damaged, lithium batteries can overheat, catch fire and even explode, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
In the U.S., the TSA requires that approved lithium batteries be stored in carry-on luggage only. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, portable power stations and generators with a capacity of more than 160 watt hours are not allowed on passenger aircraft.
