IndiGo Diverts Delhi Chennai Flight After Power Bank Fire

A passenger power bank caught fire inside the cabin of IndiGo flight 6E 6115 from New Delhi to Chennai on October 11, 2026, forcing the Airbus A321 to divert to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. More than 180 passengers and crew members were safe after the incident was controlled.

According to New Indian Express and NDTV, the fire started in an overhead storage bin after smoke was detected from a passenger's personal electronic device. Videos from the cabin showed flames in the compartment as passengers attempted to help contain the fire.

The aircraft departed from Indira Gandhi International Airport and was scheduled to arrive at Chennai International Airport at 4 pm. Flight tracking data cited by New Indian Express showed the diverted aircraft landed in Hyderabad at 3:59 pm.

IndiGo said the cabin crew responded quickly and the pilots diverted the aircraft under established safety procedures. The airline arranged another aircraft for passengers continuing their journey to Chennai.

"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." IndiGo said in a statement.

The airline also said it provided refreshments and updates to passengers affected by the diversion. The incident came after previous power bank-related aviation events involving IndiGo aircraft.

"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." IndiGo said in a statement.

Indian Express reported that lithium-ion batteries inside power banks can overheat and ignite because of manufacturing defects, internal short circuits, damage, or battery degradation. Experts said battery quality and handling practices can affect safety risks.

"Aircrafts typically experience a slight jolt during landing, which may have caused a mechanical vibration in the power bank. Combined with a fully charged LCO battery, this could have triggered an internal short circuit, eventually leading to the fire." Sagar Mitra, professor at IIT Bombay, said.

Mitra explained that internal leakages between battery terminals, manufacturing defects, and electrolyte discharge can also contribute to battery failures. He said some devices may contain poor-quality or recycled cells.

"Many people unknowingly overexpose their power bank to higher temperatures or overcharge their power banks or continue using damaged devices, which can make them unsafe." Vivek Panchal, MD of Powertron, said.

Panchal also advised consumers to consider battery reliability, cell quality, and warranty when purchasing power banks. He said products with higher reliability generally have safer operational life cycles.

"Products with a higher Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) or reliability generally have a longer and safer operational life." Vivek Panchal, MD of Powertron, said.

India's aviation regulator DGCA issued a dangerous goods advisory in November 2025 restricting the use and charging of power banks during flights and advising airlines to inform passengers about lithium battery risks.