A UK-bound EasyJet flight was diverted to Rome after a power bank was found to be charging in a passenger's luggage, it has been revealed, according to BBC.
Flight EZY2618 from Hurghada in Egypt to London Luton landed in the Italian capital on Tuesday night as a “precaution.”
The airline said the captain had decided to divert “in line with safety regulations” after a passenger informed crew during the flight that the portable charger was in the hold of the aircraft.
The flight touched down safely at Rome Fiumicino and was rescheduled to the next day.
Data from FlightRadar24 showed the flight cruising at 36,000 feet when almost three hours into its journey, over the Adriatic Sea, it took a sharp left-hand turn and landed 20 minutes later.
It is understood there was no issue with the power bank, but regulations state power banks are not allowed to be charging in the hold during a flight.
A spokesperson for the airline said: “The safety of its passengers and crew is EasyJet's highest priority and EasyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers' guidelines.”
The spokesperson added: “We would like to apologize to all passengers for any inconvenience caused by the diversion and subsequent delay.”
EasyJet’s rules state that power banks are accepted on aircraft in cabin baggage only but are “prohibited from use” and “must not be used to charge other devices.”
A maximum of two power banks per customer are allowed, they must not exceed 160 Watt-hour (Wh) for lithium batteries and they must be individually protected such as in their original packing or a plastic bag.
Ryanair says power banks are not allowed in checked baggage, cannot go in overhead compartments while British Airways says power banks must not exceed 100Wh.
The strict rules reflect the fire hazards of lithium-ion batteries - which most power banks use.
They carry a risk of overheating or catching fire which is easier to deal with in the cabin than in the hold.
Data from the UK Civil Aviation Authority shows that in 2024, two flights a week globally experienced “thermal runaway incidents” to do with lithium batteries, which includes incidents such as passengers reporting leaving power banks in their hold luggage and battery fires, BBC said.
