FORT MYERS, FL – Panic erupted aboard a Delta Air Lines flight on Monday as a lithium-ion battery in a passenger’s carry-on bag dramatically exploded mid-flight, forcing the Boeing 757 to make an emergency landing and sending plumes of smoke through the cabin. The harrowing incident, on Delta Flight 1334 from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale, underscores the escalating danger posed by portable electronic devices on commercial aircraft.
The drama unfolded at approximately 8:30 AM EST as the flight, carrying 185 passengers and six crew members, was cruising towards its Florida destination. Without warning, a battery within a personal electronic device in a passenger’s backpack suddenly ignited, leading to an explosion that filled the cabin with smoke.
“Flight attendants worked quickly to extinguish a probable burning personal battery belonging to a customer while pilots followed procedures to safely divert the flight,” a Delta spokesperson confirmed. The quick-thinking crew immediately deployed fire containment protocols, placing the burning device into a special fireproof bag designed to starve it of oxygen.
In an urgent exchange with air traffic control, the pilot calmly reported, “Ok, so the backpack has been contained. We think it was a lithium battery that caused the smoke and the fire. It’s in a containment bag. No smoke in the cabin at this point. No active fire. It’s in the lavatory. We’re planning on taxiing clear of the runway.”
The aircraft was swiftly diverted to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, where emergency services met the plane as a precaution. Thankfully, due to the crew’s rapid response, no injuries were reported among those on board. Passengers were later re-accommodated on other flights to Fort Lauderdale.
This terrifying incident is the latest in a worrying trend of lithium battery-related fires on flights. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the event and reports a staggering 388% rise in lithium battery fires on U.S. flights between 2015 and 2024. So far in 2025, there have already been 34 incidents involving lithium batteries, with 11 directly attributed to battery packs.
Airlines worldwide are grappling with this escalating risk, with some, like Southwest Airlines, implementing new policies requiring portable chargers to be kept in plain sight during flights to enable quick intervention. The FAA continues to advise passengers that spare lithium batteries are only permitted in carry-on baggage and should be protected to prevent short circuits. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers of lithium-ion batteries if damaged or faulty, and the critical importance of passenger awareness and strict adherence to airline safety regulations.
