British Airways Flight Delayed After Passenger’s Smartphone Catches Fire During Takeoff in Tokyo
A British Airways flight travelling from Tokyo to London was briefly delayed after a passenger's smartphone caught fire while the aircraft was taxiing for takeoff at Japan's Haneda Airport on June 18.
A British Airways flight travelling from Tokyo to London was briefly delayed after a passenger's smartphone caught fire while the aircraft was taxiing for takeoff at Japan's Haneda Airport on June 18.
According to reports, the London-bound flight had started moving towards the runway shortly after 1 pm local time when smoke was detected inside the cabin. Authorities later determined that the source of the smoke was a smartphone that had ignited inside a passenger's baggage. UK Man Says Life ‘Will Never Be the Same Again’ After P*nis Burn in Virgin Atlantic Flight Hot Coffee Spill.
A crew member alerted emergency services at around 1:10 pm after noticing smoke in the cabin. Cabin crew quickly responded to the situation and used an onboard fire extinguisher to put out the flames before the incident escalated.
As a precaution, air traffic control instructed the aircraft to return to its parking stand. Firefighters and emergency personnel boarded the plane and conducted a thorough inspection of the cabin. After completing safety checks, authorities declared the aircraft safe for departure.
There were 211 passengers and crew members on board at the time of the incident. No injuries were reported. American Airlines Flight AA735 Makes Emergency Landing at London Heathrow After Reported Lightning Strike Over Manchester.
The flight eventually departed for London after a delay of around one hour.
In a statement, British Airways said, "The safety of our customers and crew is the highest priority. The flight operated safely, and customers disembarked normally."
The incident comes just days after another British Airways flight travelling from London to Las Vegas reportedly experienced a cellphone fire during the journey, raising renewed concerns about lithium-ion battery-related fires aboard aircraft.
Aviation experts have repeatedly warned about the risks associated with damaged or overheating lithium-ion batteries, which have become an increasing safety concern for airlines worldwide.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 22, 2026 01:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
