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    • Smoking cell phone battery leads to flight cancellation to Miami at PBIA
    Michigan

    Smoking cell phone battery leads to flight cancellation to Miami at PBIA

    Caradoc Wyn Posted on

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    According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a Southwest Airlines flight bound for Miami had to land at Palm Beach International Airport on Sunday due to an overheating cell phone battery.

    The crew of Southwest Flight 3204 from Chicago Midway International Airport noticed the lithium battery was smoking, the FAA said in a statement. The Boeing 737 MAX landed safely at PBIA shortly after 6 p.m., a Southwest spokesman said Wednesday.

    No injuries were reported and the FAA is investigating.

    Because the plane needed to be checked, Southwest transported the diverted passengers by bus to their destination, Miami International Airport.

    The Palm Beach County Fire Department has stationed paramedics at the airport because “a commercial aircraft is having problems that pose a risk of an accident,” a spokesman said.

    More: Palm Beach International Airport was voted one of the top 10 U.S. airports by Travel + Leisure readers

    Lithium-ion batteries power many everyday electronic devices, such as cell phones, laptops and e-cigarettes. The FAA requires that these items be carried in carry-on baggage.

    If a battery is damaged, overheated, exposed to water, overcharged or has a manufacturing defect, it can catch fire without warning. Both the smoke and the fire can endanger passengers and crew on a flight.

    Signs that the battery is damaged include bulging or cracking, hissing, leaking, rising temperature, and smoke.

    The number of cases of lithium batteries overheating, smoking or exploding on airplanes nationwide nearly doubled between 2020 and 2023, according to FAA data. The federal agency confirmed 77 such incidents in 2023, up from 39 in 2020.

    In several incidents, the devices were packed in a fireproof bag and the flight could continue.

    Often a flight attendant or a passenger sees that a bag is smoking or catching fire.

    Just last month, a flight attendant aboard a Southwest plane in San Jose, California, noticed smoke coming from a passenger’s carry-on bag. They discovered a flashlight burning a hole in the bag. The flashlight was placed in a thermal sleeve and taken off the plane, and the flight departed after a brief delay.

    As of August 1, 35 incidents involving lithium batteries have occurred this year. Six of these were mobile phones.

    The FAA has counted 278 incidents involving lithium batteries since 2020. Battery packs and individual batteries were the main culprits, accounting for 88 cases. Electronic cigarettes were responsible for 81 incidents, cell phones for 41, and laptops for 35.

    Chris Persaud covers transportation for The Palm Beach Post.

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    Caradoc Wyn
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