An IndiGo flight carrying over 180 passengers from New Delhi to Chennai was diverted to Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on Sunday after a power bank in an overhead storage bin reportedly caught fire mid-air and filled the cabin with smoke.

The aircraft landed safely at RGIA as an emergency measure, and none of the passengers suffered any injuries.

Videos of the incident that went viral online showed flames blazing inside the overhead bin above one of the seats.

A few passengers were seen frantically trying to put out the fire with pieces of cloth and bags, while one passenger was heard urging everyone not to panic.

The airline confirmed that flight 6E 6115, an Airbus A321 operating from Delhi to Chennai on October 11, 2026, was diverted after smoke was detected coming from a passenger’s personal electronic device.

According to the flight-tracking platform FlightAware, the aircraft took off from Terminal 1 of Indira Gandhi International Airport at 1.30 pm and was scheduled to arrive at Chennai International Airport at 4 pm. It instead landed at RGIA at 3.59 pm.

In a statement, the airline said, “IndiGo flight 6E 6115, operating from Delhi to Chennai on October 11 was diverted to Hyderabad after smoke was detected from a customer’s personal electronic device. The cabin crew responded promptly and the situation was brought under control. In line with established protocols, the pilots diverted the flight and landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad. An alternate aircraft has been arranged to continue the journey to Chennai.”

It added, “We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers due to this unforeseen situation and are making all efforts to minimise it, including offering refreshments and sharing timely updates.”

Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

Power banks are prohibited in checked-in baggage and permitted only in cabin baggage. The lithium-ion batteries inside them can overheat and pose a fire risk, which is why they are barred from checked-in luggage.

Following several incidents of power banks catching fire on flights, their use to charge electronic devices on board was also prohibited from late 2025.

The latest incident follows a similar case on May 5, 2026, involving IndiGo flight 6E 108, which was carrying 204 people, including crew members, from Hyderabad to Chandigarh. A power bank on the aircraft caught fire after it arrived in Chandigarh, emitting smoke and flames that spread across the cabin.

An emergency was declared, prompting the evacuation of all passengers, and five people sustained injuries.

On October 19, 2025, a passenger’s power bank also caught fire on IndiGo flight 6E 2107 from Delhi to Dimapur while the aircraft was taxiing for take-off at Indira Gandhi International Airport. The device was stored in the seat-back pocket, and the incident forced the flight to return to the parking bay.

The latest incident has renewed concerns about the risks lithium-ion batteries and power banks pose aboard aircraft, as overheating or battery failure can lead to fires and smoke in confined cabin spaces.