• An easyJet flight diverted after a passenger said their power bank was charging in the hold.

• Power banks pose a fire risk, so passengers had to wait overnight to continue their journey.

• It's the latest incident that shows why aviation regulators are concerned about power banks.

One passenger's mistake while packing their luggage forced their flight to be diverted.

It was the latest case of a power bank upending travelers' plans, as aviation regulators call for increased awareness of the devices' potential hazards.

Last week, a passenger on an easyJet flight told the crew during the flight that a power bank was charging a device in their checked bag.

The flight from Hurghada, Egypt, to London diverted to Rome because regulations state that power banks are not allowed in the airplane's cargo hold.

Passengers then had to wait overnight to continue their journey after the Airbus A320 landed in the Italian capital around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

"The aircraft landed safely and passengers disembarked routinely," an easyJet spokesperson said in a statement shared with Business Insider. "We provided hotel accommodation and meals where available and provided customers who stayed in the airport with refreshments."

The flight reached London Luton Airport around 4 p.m. the next day, nearly 16 hours later than it was originally scheduled to arrive.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by the diversion and subsequent delay," the easyJet spokesperson said.

Power banks can only be carried in an airplane's cabin because they pose a fire risk due to their lithium batteries.

"Lithium batteries power lots of everyday electronics, from vapes and mobile phones to cameras and power banks," said Glenn Bradley, the UK Civil Aviation Authority's head of flight operations, in a statement shared with Business Insider.

"If they become faulty or damaged, they can cause an intense fire that is difficult to extinguish."

This is due to a process called thermal runaway, which sparks a chain reaction and a rapid rise in temperature.

Following the easyJet incident, the CAA told the BBC that "more awareness" was needed as portable chargers carry "serious risks" of overheating or catching fire.

"I wouldn't want to be the passenger who packed it in the wrong place and ended up with all the other passengers in the wrong city because the flight was diverted," the CAA's Jonathan Nicholson told the outlet.

Airlines are particularly concerned about power banks since the growing market for the devices means that many are cheaply made and not properly certified. They may also lack the advanced circuitry that helps stop laptops and phones from overcharging.

Many airlines also say that power banks cannot be used on board. It is safest to ensure devices are kept visible and accessible. This means that smoke or a fire can be spotted more quickly than if the device were in an overhead bin. Airline crews are well-trained in dealing with electrical fires, so they can react promptly if anything goes wrong.

Several carriers introduced stricter rules last year.

After a fire broke out in an overhead bin in Busan, South Korea, in January 2025, the country's transport ministry announced a ban on storing power banks and e-cigarettes in the overhead bins.

Emirates prohibited passengers from charging devices with power banks, and Southwest Airlines mandated that they cannot be stored in a bag or overhead bin while in use.

"Flying is by far the safest way to travel, and we want to keep it that way. Packing safely reduces risk," Bradley said.

"Keeping battery-powered items with you will make your flight safer for you, and the other passengers you're flying with."

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow Business Insider on Yahoo.

Thousands of passengers have endured severe disruption after the runway at Glasgow airport closed for 72 minutes on Tuesday afternoon.

A light aircraft believed to belong to Glasgow Flying Club blocked the runway after experiencing difficulties on landing at 3.48pm.

The runway reopened at 5pm, but not before at least seven inbound flights had diverted.

Diversions to Edinburgh, 42 miles to the east, began almost at once.

Three easyJet planes – from Gatwick, Faro in Portugal and Barcelona – diverted to the Scottish capital. They were joined by Jet2 from Tenerife, Ryanair from Malaga, Tui from Rhodes, Lufthansa from Frankfurt and British Airways from Heathrow.

At 5.10pm, a KLM flight from Amsterdam that had been holding for 20 minutes also diverted to Edinburgh. An estimated 1,100 passengers have so far arrived at the wrong airport.

Cancellations have begun: with Lufthansa choosing not to wait for Glasgow to reopen, the return flight to Frankfurt will not operate.

Departures are all heavily delayed. The last plane to get away is believed to be a British Airways flight to Heathrow that took off at 3.44pm.

With around 20 departures well behind schedule, the disruption is likely to take many hours to clear. One concern is that some crew may go “out of hours” if they do not depart soon on long flights to destinations including the Canary Islands and the Greek islands of Kos and Crete.

A spokesperson for the airport said: “Operations have resumed following an earlier incident involving a light aircraft at 1548 attended by emergency services.

“The airfield was reopened at 5pm and operations returned to normal. We thank passengers for their patience during this incident.”

Under air passengers’ rights rules, travellers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible on any airline, and to be provided with meals and hotels until they get there.

Those delayed by two hours or more on short flights are entitled to refreshments at the airport.

Thousands more Scottish passengers at airports around the UK and Europe will be waiting for some hours for the delayed outbound flights to bring them home.

In August 2025, a stricken light aircraft closed the runway at Birmingham airport for seven hours.

Read more: Your nominations for Europe’s worst airport

A Jet2 flight from Spain to the UK was forced to divert to Portugal after the pilot fell “unwell” mid-flight.

Flight LS1266 from Tenerife to Birmingham made an unscheduled landing in Porto in the early hours of Friday morning.

According to FlightAware data, the Airbus A321 diverted almost three hours into the four-hour journey, landing at Porto’s Francisco Sa Carneiro airport at 2.11am.

Emergency services boarded the aircraft with up to 220 passengers on board while it was on the runway for medics to treat the pilot before he was transported to hospital.

One passenger told The Sun that they were stranded in Portugal for over 13 hours without accommodation after being held on the plane for an hour.

Another told the newspaper: “My partner and I were asleep when we were awoken by chaos.

“Lights began flashing, and hostesses who were visibly upset, seeking a doctor.

“Our two-year-old began crying like many other children onboard because the aircraft was dropping so quickly for an emergency landing.”

Passengers were able to continue their onward journey after Jet2 flew a replacement pilot from Manchester to Porto.

A spokesperson for Jet2 said: “Flight LS1266 from Tenerife to Birmingham diverted to Porto on Thursday (21st May), due to one of the pilots feeling unwell.

“At no point was safety compromised, and customers subsequently continued their journey.

“We would like to apologise to customers for this unforeseen delay.”

It’s not the first flight to divert due to a medical emergency this year.

Earlier this month, a flight to Zürich made a diversion to Kazakhstan after the co-pilot experienced a medical emergency.

Swiss flight LX124 took off from Seoul in South Korea just before 10am local time for a 12 and a half hour flight to Zürich in Switzerland on 6 May.

While flying over Kazakhstan, just over six hours into the flight, the Airbus A350 took a sharp turn south over the Karaganda region and diverted its course to the country’s largest city, Almaty.

Swiss confirmed the incident, stating that the unscheduled landing occurred due to a “medical emergency involving the co-pilot”.

Read more: Flight forced to make unscheduled landing after unusual smell detected on board

This summer, your vacation could get shaken up by severe turbulence — but not at 35,000 feet.

With jet fuel shortages changing how Americans travel, experts are warning that flight cancellations and other last-minute changes could become inevitable.

“Travelers are set to face continued travel disruption, as rising tensions in the Middle East have resulted in a jet fuel shortage, putting pressure on airline schedules,” Chris Harrington, travel expert and managing director of airport and travel source Hoppa, told The Post.

In mid-April, the International Energy Agency (IEA) set off alarms, warning that Europe could run out of jet fuel in six weeks — bringing us perilously near the end of that timeline. Some airlines have even started to cancel flights already, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Air Canada, AirAsia X, Lufthansa and SAS.

But if a flight is cut due to a fuel shortage, passengers have rights that they should be aware of, according to Harrington.

While they may not get you to a dreamy villa in Rome or your favorite Las Vegas casino any faster, he has shared exactly what travelers should do if they’re in a sticky situation — thanks to jet fuel woes.

What to do if your flight is cut

Unsurprisingly, the first thing is to contact the airline, Harrington said.

And if you’re already at the airport, go to your carrier’s customer service desk to speak to staff directly — otherwise, time may not be on your side.

“With disruption expected, acting quickly is essential, as available seats on alternative flights may be limited and only available for a short time,” he advised. However, since many people will be facing the same issue at the same time when at the airport, using the airline’s app or customer service line to find out the next steps might be quicker.

Once you manage to speak to a representative, ask to rebook on a later flight. In many cases, the airline will already offer to book another flight for you, though airline policies can vary.

“While rebooking isn’t an airline’s legal obligation, a refund is, giving you the option to book your own,” Harrington said.

He suggested considering an alternate route — such as flying into another airport near your final destination, or asking the airline if they can book you on a partner carrier to avoid similar problems.

Nothing is guaranteed, of course, so being flexible during travel disruption is key, the expert said.

Travelers should also be asking the airline directly about what they offer for canceled flights, since some may give meal vouchers or complimentary hotel stays.

Can travel insurance help?

Travel insurance is “worth considering” because it can also help minimize disruption, Harrington said.

But don’t count on it as a total life-saver.

“Flight cancellations due to global fuel shortages would not be covered under standard policies, which means coverage can be more limited and added benefits are needed, so understanding your travel insurance policy details in advance is key,” Harrington warned.

If a flight is canceled, review your policy carefully since they’re all different. Some may reimburse certain expenses like meals, hotel stays or transportation, though coverage limits vary from plan to plan.

But if a flight is nixed due to the actions of the airline, such as staffing or maintenance issues, many will just rebook you on another flight — though cash compensation is not a requirement by federal law.

However, the US Department of Transportation says that travelers are entitled to a full refund if the flight is canceled and the traveler chooses not to rebook — even if they have a non-refundable ticket. Beyond that, any compensation or support is dependent on the airline or travel insurance policy, as well as the circumstances of the disruption.

Unfortunately, when cancellations are caused by broader issues outside of the airline’s control — like the jet fuel shortage — then “support may be more limited,” Harrington said.

“This is similar to what happens in events like extreme weather,” he explained. “In these cases, travelers should be prepared for fewer rebooking options and the need for flexibility.”

What flights are most likely to be impacted?

You may want to rethink that eight-hour flight you booked from New York to mega-popular Barcelona.

Travelers should be aware that long-haul routes are easily the most at risk to be cut compared to short-haul flights if fuel shortages continue throughout the summer and beyond, Harrington said. Flights to Europe, Asia and the Middle East naturally require more fuel, and they’re also more exposed to disruption across international routes — particularly where fuel supply chains are under pressure.

“These trips are substantially more expensive for airlines to operate during periods of disruption,” he cautioned, “so it’s likely we’ll see these routes experience price hikes, face less availability, or be cut altogether.”

Short-haul flights are less at risk of being canceled completely since they run multiple times a day and are less expensive to operate.

“With that said, these trips aren’t fully protected from the current industry issues,” Harrington said, adding that the recent implosion of Spirit Airlines underscores how volatile air travel is right now.

“Rising fuel costs are putting increased pressure on low-cost carriers, which can mean fewer flights to local destinations and fewer options if other similar airlines are forced to strip back operations.”