Fire breaks out on Delhi-Chennai flight:Luggage burns after power bank explodes; Indigo flight makes emergency landing in Hyderabad

An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Chennai made an emergency landing in Hyderabad after a passenger’s bag caught fire following a power bank explosion. After noticing smoke in the cabin, passengers alerted the crew. The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Hyderabad and made an emergency landing. IndiGo said the cabin crew brought the situation under control as soon as the fire was detected, following which the pilots diverted the flight. The airline added that a second flight was arranged to take the passengers to Chennai. Video goes viral as passengers shout ‘fire, fire’ A video of the incident has surfaced on social media, showing passengers shouting “fire, fire!” as smoke fills the aircraft. Other passengers can be seen retrieving their luggage from the overhead bins. DGCA restricts the use of power banks during flights The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued guidelines governing the carriage and use of electronic devices on aircraft. Electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops and tablets can be carried on board, but must be used in flight mode in accordance with airline instructions. In an advisory circular dated 11 November 2025, the DGCA recommended prohibiting the use of power banks to charge other devices during flights. The recommendation was also confirmed in a reply to Parliament in March 2026. The aviation regulator has warned that lithium batteries used in power banks and other rechargeable devices can pose a significant fire risk. Power banks and spare lithium batteries must be carried in hand baggage and are not permitted in checked-in baggage. They must also not be stored in overhead compartments or luggage racks. A similar power bank incident was reported on an IndiGo flight in May In May 2026, a power bank exploded on an IndiGo flight from Hyderabad to Chandigarh, injuring five passengers. The device was inside a passenger’s bag when the incident occurred while the aircraft was parked at the airport. The explosion filled the aircraft with smoke, triggering panic among passengers. They were subsequently evacuated through the emergency exits, with two evacuation slides deployed to help passengers disembark. ​