Overview
- A passenger told cabin crew that a device was charging from an external battery in checked luggage, prompting the easyJet captain to divert flight EZY2618 to Rome Fiumicino where it landed at 11:33 p.m. local time.
- EasyJet said the move was a precaution taken under safety rules; no fire or bomb was found and passengers were given hotel rooms and meals before continuing to London Luton the next morning.
- Lithium‑ion power banks can overheat and trigger a chemical runaway that creates heat, smoke or fire, and U.S. FAA records show 563 battery‑related smoke or fire incidents on flights between 2006 and February 2026.
- The incident comes as the International Civil Aviation Organization in March limited passengers to two portable batteries and banned recharging in flight, and some carriers have imposed stricter in‑flight rules.
- The diversion highlights how passenger actions can trigger costly operational responses, stoke alarm among travelers, and may push airlines to apply conservative diversion protocols to manage battery fire risk.