Overview
- A passenger's smartphone began smoking and caught fire while the British Airways aircraft was taxiing at Tokyo Haneda, the device was extinguished by cabin crew and the plane returned to its stand for inspection with no injuries reported.
- Firefighters boarded the aircraft to inspect the cabin after crew used an onboard extinguisher, and the London‑bound flight left about an hour late following safety checks.
- The Haneda episode follows a separate British Airways cabin phone fire on a transatlantic flight that prompted an FAA investigation, and authorities in both countries are continuing probes into the causes and device identification.
- Japan has already tightened rules on portable batteries this year, limiting passengers to two power banks and effectively banning onboard charging to reduce the risk of battery fires.
- Lithium‑ion cells can enter a sudden 'thermal runaway' from damage, defects, overheating or overcharging, which is why regulators and airlines require such devices to be kept in the cabin and why investigators are focused on device condition and storage practices.