Overview
- A laptop’s lithium‑ion battery ignited about 30 minutes before landing on Flight 2398 on Aug. 21, 2026, and flight attendants contained the device using a thermal containment bag.
- The Airbus A321 landed safely at Dallas–Fort Worth Airport, emergency crews met the gate, and one passenger was treated on site and released.
- Air traffic control audio records show the pilot reported four to five passengers had been burned, but on‑scene medical and airport statements list a single treated passenger, creating a discrepancy in injury counts.
- The FAA confirmed the containment and opened an investigation, and the agency has logged more than 50 lithium‑battery incidents this year that involved smoke, fire, or overheating.
- Crew training and onboard tools such as thermal bags are standard defenses against battery fires, and this event may increase pressure for tighter airline rules or enforcement on how lithium batteries and power banks are carried and packed.