Using power banks onboard flights can cause the risk of a fire. That’s why they’re not allowed in checked bags, and it’s also why they’re typically not allowed to be used in the cabin during flights. Nonetheless, every so often we see a story where things go wrong, because some passengers refuse to follow rules.
Well, a KLM flight had a pretty major power bank issue, whereby a fire started in the cabin over the Atlantic after a passenger violated the rules. Here’s the interesting wrinkle, though — that passenger was the former CEO of the airline!
KLM 777 suffers power bank fire over Atlantic, returns to Amsterdam
This incident happened on Thursday, September 17, 2026, and involves KLM flight KL735, operating from Amsterdam (AMS) to Curacao (CUR). The flight was operated by a Boeing 777-300ER with the registration code PH-BVP.
The plane took off from Amsterdam at 3:21PM, just under two hours after its scheduled departure time of 1:25PM. The flight operated as scheduled for around 2hr30min, making its way southwest toward the Caribbean island of Curacao.
Unfortunately at that point a major issue arose. A business class passenger’s power bank caught fire, causing damage to the seat and cabin. Fortunately the crew was able to quickly extinguish the fire, though this part of the cabin still looks super rough.
At that point the decision was made for the plane to return to Amsterdam, where the plane safely landed back at 8:42PM, around 5hr20min after it first departed. Passengers were rebooked on other flights, and I imagine this plane will be out of service for some time.
The passenger violating power bank rules was the former CEO
KLM has strict rules around the use of power banks. Passengers are permitted to carry up to two power banks on flights, the batteries must be contained within carry-on bags, and must remain visible. They also can’t be used during the flight.
So, who was this inconsiderate passenger who caused the fire? It was none other than Camiel Eurlings, who had a brief stint at KLM CEO from 2013 until 2014, and is now a politician.
It’s not clear if Eurlings wasn’t familiar with rules around using power banks onboard flights, or if he just thought the rules didn’t apply to him. He was reportedly using the power bank while sleeping. That’s not only reckless, but also insanely stupid, given that he could’ve just charged electronics via the in-seat power supply. I can only imagine how awkward that flight back to Amsterdam must’ve been…
So, will KLM be pursuing action against him for damages? A spokesperson for the airline has shared that the company doesn’t plan to issue any fines to him. I would assume he has travel privileges on account of being a former CEO, so you’d think those would be taken away, or something. But nope, it sounds like he’s getting off easy here.
Bottom line
A KLM flight had a cabin fire over the Atlantic Ocean, after a power bank caught fire while a passenger was reportedly sleeping. The plane then had to return to Amsterdam, leading to a five plus hour “flight to nowhere.”
While we see power bank fires every so often due to the volume of people who travel by air, the wild detail here is that it’s the company’s former CEO who was the culprit. Yikes.
What do you make of this KLM power bank fire?
Send him the bill for the diversion and the repairs.
Passengers should sue him for €600.
KLM should sue him for the repairs and diversion.
We love "Mr. No Show" hahaha. This guy is such a tool. Sorry Camiel, lots of hot air, little results. I admire that.
One small correction to you, Ben: Eurlings is not “now a politician.” He left active Dutch politics in 2010. He is currently a partner at Knighthood Global, an aviation advisory and investment company.
Also, for readers outside the Netherlands: his short tenure as CEO of KLM was hardly remembered as a success....
We love "Mr. No Show" hahaha. This guy is such a tool. Sorry Camiel, lots of hot air, little results. I admire that.
One small correction to you, Ben: Eurlings is not “now a politician.” He left active Dutch politics in 2010. He is currently a partner at Knighthood Global, an aviation advisory and investment company.
Also, for readers outside the Netherlands: his short tenure as CEO of KLM was hardly remembered as a success. Dutch media repeatedly reported criticism from employees and unions that he was largely invisible and showed too little leadership. After his departure, NOS reported that people inside the company said he was simply not present enough and produced few visible results.
It gets worse: later reporting described how he had earned the nickname “Mister No Show” within KLM because he would regularly fail to appear at meetings without notice and could reportedly be unreachable for days. His departure was ultimately the result of a unanimous decision by KLM’s supervisory board.
Terrible CEO. Terrible Minister too.
That's why he's on fire during a power (bank) trip?
He just wants the attention he deserved.
Based on the picture it looks like he charged the powerbank (there is a laptop charger seemingly connected to the powerbank). This is even more dangerous in terms of exploding power banks but also explains why he would do it (as charging the phone with it doesn't make sense with in-seat power).
Senior KLM folks are not great at following rules. See also Tenerife.
so the company has to pay a compensation to all passengers just because of him, plus the cost of diverting the flight and flying it back to destination
Plus the cost of fixing that seat. I don't think they would be able to continue to use that seat as it and so they'll need to fix it so that people can sit there!
No, this counts as extraordinary circumstance for the airline so no compensation from EU261/04
My phone and laptop are both also power banks. Whatever tech makes those ok should be applied to power banks so that we can have "flight-safe" ones to use.
Power banks made by well known manufacturers have reliable battery chemistry, bms, cut offs and are designed to sustain the occasional knock. It’s the cheap Chinese products that one should be weary of.
I can understand not using them or having them in checked bags, but the idea that they must remain visible is insane. Way more dangerous to have something that could slide around, get crushed by seat, people, etc than to have it safely in your bag.
Noooooo not in checked bags ever!!!!
not [using them or having them in checked bags]
How embarrassing for that former CEO…
Ok, so, real talk, no Delft Blue Houses, right?
Thank god security confiscated my tiny sewing scissors. Wouldn’t want to let something unsafe onboard
The incident has proven that he's not wrong: He broke the rules and didn't get any form of punishment, so apparently yes the rules don't apply to him.
This happened to a buddy of mine a few months ago. He was using his power bank while landing and it caught fire. The crew had special blankets to put it out. Didn't explode or anything. You should not use them at all on flights, but people need to doomscroll...
Rules for me but not for thee. He's a rich / powerful f***.
Signed,
Barely comfortable / powerless f***.
Dang it, I messed up the quote for this context:
*Rules for thee but not for me. :-)
Can anyone explain why charging a power bank during the flight is really dangerous but charging any other device directly is not?
Because most other devices such as smartphones present lower stored energy, superior thermal tracking, and higher manufacturing consistency, airlines tolerate charging them directly while prohibiting power bank recharging. For power bank production, barrier of entry is low, most are no-name and battery chemistry/electric quality is low.
Lithium vs no lithium
@Beachfan talking out of their ass. Literally every portable device these days uses lithium based batteries.
"...given that he could’ve just charged electronics via the in-seat power supply..."
I have to take a moment here - were the plugs working? I've run into FAR too many situations where they wete not. Usually on domestic flights on older planes, but still...
[This is still stupid, but if the plugs weren't working I would suggest the airline has a role in this as well.]
Edit to add: Given the fire, would that make this a hot take?
"They also can’t be used during the flight."
News to me too
Same
There is no blanket ban, some airlines have banned the use of powerbanks on their own accord, and some regulators have banned it for the airlines they regulate. So it could be a matter of what airlines you fly.
The other part is that the ban is just an announcement with all the other ones, so it can be missed.
Since beginning of the year a lot of airlines, including KLM, forbid power banks to be used during flight, so this is not news.
It depends where you live/fly.
- From 01 Jan 2027, IATA and ICAO rules strongly discourage (but don't prohibit) power bank use to recharge portable electronic devices in flight. IATA announced this changed advisory in March 2026. Many airlines and several countries changed their rules after March 2026 and now fully prohibit power bank use onboard.
- Most European, Middle Eastern and Asian airlines by now prohibit the use of power banks to charge devices....
It depends where you live/fly.
- From 01 Jan 2027, IATA and ICAO rules strongly discourage (but don't prohibit) power bank use to recharge portable electronic devices in flight. IATA announced this changed advisory in March 2026. Many airlines and several countries changed their rules after March 2026 and now fully prohibit power bank use onboard.
- Most European, Middle Eastern and Asian airlines by now prohibit the use of power banks to charge devices. This includes Air France/KLM (as in this post), ANA, JAL, Korean Air, Lufthansa Group, Emirates, Etihad, EVA, easyjet, Cathay, Singapore Airlines, Air China, China Southern, Virgin, Qantas, etc.
- Major US airlines and British Airways currently allow use during the cruise phase of a flight, but rely on flight attendant supervision, requiring flight attendants to monitor that passengers don't use power banks to charge devices unattended, while sleeping or during taxi, take-off and landing. Under US law and FAA rules, passengers have to follow flight attendant orders related to safety, aircraft operations, stowage, passenger handling, and regulatory compliance.
Basically, it seems like US airlines and BA ask flight attendants to babysit their passengers, while other airlines expect passengers to listen to the rules and behave responsibly.
It’s a worry. On BA, in the Club Suite someone could easily be asleep with a power bank charging from the in-seat power or charging a device within the flat storage compartment and crew wouldn’t see. Ditto in economy in a seat back pocket. There was recently a power bank fire on a LHR-LAS flight that sent flames shooting up the cabin wall in a matter of seconds. Luckily the plane was on final approach...
It’s a worry. On BA, in the Club Suite someone could easily be asleep with a power bank charging from the in-seat power or charging a device within the flat storage compartment and crew wouldn’t see. Ditto in economy in a seat back pocket. There was recently a power bank fire on a LHR-LAS flight that sent flames shooting up the cabin wall in a matter of seconds. Luckily the plane was on final approach to LAS and was met by fire trucks although cabin crew had got the situation under control. The current BA rule is that they must not be in overhead lockers, but I don’t want to imagine how big a battery fire could get before getting noticed somewhere over the Atlantic in the middle of the night.
They clearly announce this on board after take off. And also before landing. What an ignorant man this former CEO and former Minister of Transport is. Really too bad he is getting off so lightly.