An IndiGo flight scheduled to operate from Hyderabad to Srinagar returned to its parking bay before take-off after the crew received information that a passenger’s power bank had been packed in checked-in baggage, prompting safety procedures at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.
Flight 6E 6409, carrying 173 passengers, was scheduled to depart at 12.15 pm. The aircraft had been pushed back from Bay 12 and was taxiing when the information came to light, following which it was brought back to the same bay, according to reports.
The incident triggered precautionary safety checks to assess the potential risk associated with the lithium-ion battery. There was no immediate report of a fire or injuries.
Under aviation safety guidelines and IndiGo’s baggage policy, power banks and spare lithium batteries must be carried in hand baggage and cannot be placed in checked-in luggage. Such devices are required to remain accessible to passengers because damaged or overheating batteries can pose a fire risk.
The incident comes days after another IndiGo flight was diverted to Hyderabad following a reported fire involving a passenger’s power bank.
On October 11, flight 6E 6115, operating from Delhi to Chennai, made a precautionary landing in Hyderabad after smoke was detected from a personal electronic device inside the cabin.
The airline said the crew acted promptly and the pilots diverted the aircraft in accordance with established safety procedures. No injuries were reported in that incident.
The two incidents have drawn attention to the importance of following baggage restrictions for portable electronic devices and lithium batteries during air travel.
