A Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flight was abandoned, and eight passengers were hospitalized after a lithium battery ignited in a suitcase during boarding.
On October 14, 2025, passengers were boarding an SAS Airbus A320neo at Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL) in Norway when smoke was detected coming from a customer’s hand luggage.
Quick thinking cabin staff put on smoke hoods as the aircraft was evacuated, and a halon extinguisher was deployed in an attempt to put out the fire that had developed.
According to Norway’s Accident Investigation Authority, crew members brought the suitcase out of the aircraft and airport staff took over.
The incident report stated that after the first attempt to extinguish the flames, the fire restarted.
Those that were taken to hospital were said to have been suspected of inhaling toxic fumes, but thankfully all were discharged within 48 hours.
A preliminary report by the Accident Investigation Authority was published on November 18, 2025, around four weeks after the incident.
Investigators said that the A320neo, registered SE-RUR, had been due to fly to Bergen Flesland Airport (BGO).
Around 50 people had boarded the plane when smoke was spotted, in what investigators described as a “serious aviation incident”. The aircraft has since been operating as per normal
Several airlines have taken steps to limit the threat from lithium batteries catching fire in the cabin. Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Emirates have all banned the use of power banks on flights.
There have been an increasing number of incidents in which batteries have reportedly caused fires on planes with pilots forced to initiate emergency landings.
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