Shanghai, China: A tense moment unfolded midair when a passenger’s luggage caught fire on an Air China flight, authorities confirmed. The fire was triggered by a lithium battery explosion inside the bag, causing panic among passengers as smoke spread through the cabin. Fortunately, the crew acted quickly, performing an emergency landing that prevented what could have been a serious disaster.

The Air China aircraft had departed from Hangzhou, a major city in eastern China, on Saturday and was en route to Incheon, located near Seoul, South Korea.

Soon after takeoff, a lithium battery packed inside one traveler’s luggage exploded, igniting a fire in the overhead storage compartment. Passengers became alarmed as flames and smoke became visible from the bin. In response, the flight crew initiated emergency procedures and safely diverted the plane to Shanghai Airport for an unscheduled landing.

According to an official statement from Air China, no passengers or crew members sustained injuries during the incident. A traveler on board captured the incident on video, which later surfaced on social media platforms, showing the chaotic but controlled scene as the crew worked to extinguish the fire.

WHY ARE LITHIUM BATTERY FIRES COMMON IN THIS REGION?
Air China A321 (B-8583) en route from Hangzhou to Seoul was forced to divert to Shanghai after a lithium battery in a passenger’s luggage went into thermal runaway, sparking a fire in an overhead bin mid-flight.

Cabin crew… pic.twitter.com/GFcFpOr40D

— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) October 18, 2025