IndiGo flight 6E6115, flying from Delhi to Chennai on October 11, was diverted to Hyderabad after smoke came from a passenger’s power bank in the overhead luggage compartment. The crew put the fire out with extinguishers, and the plane landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. All passengers and crew are safe. IndiGo sent another aircraft to carry everyone on to Chennai.
What happened on 6E6115
The aircraft, an Airbus A321-251N, was supposed to leave Delhi at 1:10 pm. It actually took off at 1:30 pm and was due in Chennai at 4 pm, according to NDTV and Moneycontrol. Mid-flight, the power bank of a passenger caught fire inside the overhead bin.
A 36-second video shot by a passenger shows what happened next: people first tried to dab out the flames with their bags. Then the cabin crew stepped in with fire extinguishers and put the fire out, NDTV reported. The exact time and location of the fire are still not confirmed.
IndiGo said the flight was diverted after smoke was detected from a “customer’s personal electronic device”, that the cabin crew “responded promptly” and the plane landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. The airline apologised for the inconvenience, offered passengers refreshments and updates, and added that “the safety of our customers and crew remains our top priority”.
The rule most flyers are breaking
Here’s the part that matters for your next flight. India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, has clear rules on power banks — and the one on 6E6115 was stored exactly where the rules say it must not be.
- Where it can go: cabin baggage only. Never in checked-in luggage. Never in the overhead bin.
- Where it must stay: within your personal reach — under the seat in front of you, in the seat pocket, or on your person. IndiGo’s own website says power banks “must not be stowed in overhead compartments or checked baggage”, NDTV reported.
- Can you use it mid-flight? No. The DGCA has banned using power banks to charge phones or other devices during the flight — even through the seat’s USB port. This came in the regulator’s Dangerous Goods Advisory Circular No. 01/2025, issued in January 2026.
Why is the overhead bin the worst spot? Because nobody can see it. A device hidden in a closed bin can smoulder for a long time before anyone notices smoke — and by then, the fire is much harder to control. That’s the logic behind the whole rule: keep the battery where someone can see it going wrong.
Why a small battery can do this
It’s called thermal runaway. In plain words: a damaged or faulty battery gets hotter and hotter on its own until it catches fire. Lithium batteries pack a lot of energy into a small box — which is why your phone runs all day — but when something goes wrong inside, that energy comes out fast, as heat and then fire. Cheaper power banks with poor safety circuits are the biggest risk, according to reports on the DGCA rules.
What to do if a device heats up on board
First, tell the cabin crew at once. Don’t try to handle it yourself — the passengers dabbing with bags on 6E6115 lost time doing exactly that. The DGCA asks flyers to alert crew the moment a power bank or gadget feels too hot, gives off smoke, or smells strange. Crew members now get special training for battery fires, and airlines must announce the power-bank rules before departure.
Second, pack it right. Keep spare batteries in a plastic bag or a protective case — not loose in your bag — and tape over the terminals if you can, the DGCA advises. Loose batteries can short-circuit against coins, keys or other metal. The regulator has also asked airlines to review their emergency procedures and make sure crew are trained for battery fires, with proper firefighting equipment available in the cabin, Outlook Traveller reported. Airport operators are expected to display safety advisories at check-in counters and boarding gates.
This wasn’t the first one
In May 2026, a power bank caught fire on an IndiGo aircraft at Delhi airport while the plane was taxiing for departure, News18 reported — passengers alleged several people suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation, with about five taken to hospital for medical evaluation. That incident is why airlines now enforce the DGCA rules so strictly, with clear in-flight announcements. Outlook Traveller reported that airlines must now make these announcements both before departure and during the flight. The October 11 diversion shows why the enforcement matters: the device was in the overhead bin, where detection came late.
So the five-second habit for your next flight: power bank out of the overhead bin, under your seat, switched off, not charging anything. Small effort. The 6E6115 crew handled this one well — not every fire will be this lucky.
