On Monday, July 7th, Delta Air Lines flight originally scheduled to fly from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale was forced to make an emergency landing in Fort Myers, southwestern Florida, due to a lithium battery in a passenger’s electronic device catching fire. The flight, numbered 1334, had 185 passengers and 6 crew members on board. Despite the quick actions of the flight attendants to put out the fire, smoke persisted inside the cabin, leading the pilot to divert to Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, approximately a two-hour drive from Fort Lauderdale.
A spokesperson for the Fort Myers airport confirmed that the flight safely landed at 8:48 local time. Delta Air Lines expressed gratitude for the team’s handling of the situation according to procedures and apologized for the travel disruption. The Boeing 757-200 aircraft has been temporarily grounded for inspection, and the company is assisting passengers in arranging alternative flights.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and ground fire personnel were on standby to manage the situation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation into the incident.
According to FAA data, as of this year, there have been 34 aviation incidents related to lithium batteries in the United States, with 11 involving battery packs. From 2015 to 2024, incidents of lithium battery fires have surged by 388%. With the increasing risks of lithium battery fires, major airlines have been tightening their policies one after another.
In May of this year, Southwest Airlines introduced an industry-leading regulation requiring passengers to keep their battery packs visible throughout the flight. Singapore Airlines has gone a step further by completely banning the use or charging of battery packs onboard.
As per regulations by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Delta Air Lines website, spare lithium batteries must only be carried in carry-on luggage, not checked baggage, and should be properly packaged to prevent short circuits. This incident underscores once again the importance of battery management in aviation safety.
(References: USA Today and CBS News reports)