Technology and Science28 September, 20262 min read
Lufthansa Diverts LH1170 After External Battery Fire on Airbus A321-200 to Lyon
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Lufthansa LH1170 from Frankfurt to Lisbon diverted to Lyon after passenger power bank caught fire. The flight carried 198 passengers; no injuries reported.
9 outlets told this the same way.
Lufthansa diverts to Lyon
Lufthansa diverted flight LH1170, an Airbus A321-200 carrying 198 passengers and six crew members, after a passenger’s external battery caught fire in the cabin on Saturday, September 26, en route from Frankfurt to Lisbon. Lufthansa said the crew placed the battery in a protective case designed for lithium batteries and declared an emergency to obtain priority landing in Lyon, France.
Lufthansa reported that the aircraft landed without incident shortly before 8:00 PM GMT and that no injuries were reported. Lufthansa also said the passengers left the aircraft normally, were accommodated at a hotel, and were rebooked on Sunday to continue their journey to Lisbon.
Rules and thermal runaway
The Al-Jazeera Net account linked the Lufthansa incident to the risk that lithium batteries can enter a state called thermal runaway if damaged, exposed to excessive heat, or overcharged, or due to a manufacturing defect.
The Al-Jazeera Net account said the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration notes that extinguishing the fire does not necessarily stop thermal runaway, and the battery needs cooling to prevent the reaction from continuing.
Lufthansa said it has prohibited the use and charging of external batteries on board its aircraft since January 2026, while allowing up to two per passenger in the cabin under certain safety conditions.
The Air Journal account said the International Air Transport Association reminds that external batteries must remain in the cabin, not in the hold, so the crew can respond quickly if one overheats or catches fire.
Delta diversion and wider risk
Delta Air Lines diverted flight DL251, an Airbus A330 from Barcelona to Boston, after a cabin smoke report on Sunday, September 27, and the aircraft landed in Porto. The Air Journal account said AFP, citing the Portuguese Civil Protection, reported 14 passengers were taken care of, four of whom were hospitalized for a light smoke inhalation.
The Air Journal account said Delta cited a mechanical issue but did not specify the source of the smoke at this stage, and it said nothing allows attributing a common source to the two diversions. The Al-Jazeera Net account said lithium battery incidents on airplanes increased by 15% during the year, with power banks becoming the largest source, and it added that the rate of thermal runaway incidents on passenger aircraft exceeded two per week in 2025.