Five passengers were burned when a laptop burst into flames on an American Airlines flight, prompting an emergency response.
The incident unfolded on Flight 2398, an Airbus A321 carrying more than 130 passengers from Atlanta, Georgia, to Dallas, Texas, on Friday. Air traffic control audio obtained by CBS News captured the pilot reporting a “cabin fire in the back of the airplane” as the situation developed mid-flight.
“I think we have about four to five passengers that were burned by the laptop,” the pilot told controllers. “The laptop is contained about mid-aircraft.”
Flight attendants raced to extinguish the flames as the aircraft continued toward its destination, according to the audio. The crew’s quick action prevented the fire from spreading further through the cabin as the plane descended toward Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
The aircraft landed safely and emergency workers were waiting on the ground to care for the injured passengers. One passenger required medical attention beyond initial treatment at the scene, according to reports from the tarmac.
“American Airlines flight 2398 landed safely at DFW after reports of smoke from a customer’s device during landing,” the airline said in a statement to CBS. The carrier praised its crew for their handling of the dangerous situation.
“We thank our crew for their professionalism and swift response to quickly contain the device,” the airline’s statement continued.
The incident marks the latest in a string of aviation emergencies involving lithium-ion batteries, which power laptops, phones, and other personal electronic devices. These batteries can overheat and enter a state called thermal runaway, producing intense heat, smoke, and flames that are difficult to extinguish in the confined space of an aircraft cabin.
In July 2024, an overheating laptop inside a passenger’s bag caused a fire aboard an American Airlines flight at San Francisco International Airport, filling the cabin with smoke during boarding. Three passengers sustained minor injuries in that incident, including one person hurt while using an evacuation slide.
In February 2023, a laptop battery fire on a United Airlines flight from San Diego injured four people. A Spirit Airlines battery fire in an overhead bin that same year forced a diversion to Jacksonville and sent ten people to the hospital. The Federal Aviation Administration has issued multiple safety alerts regarding lithium battery risks, urging airlines to assess fire suppression capabilities and review procedures to minimize smoke inhalation.
The FAA recently issued Safety Alert for Operators 25002, titled “Managing the Risks of Lithium Batteries Carried by Passengers and Crewmembers,” supplementing existing guidance on safe transport. The agency notes that the average passenger now carries four rechargeable devices powered by lithium-ion batteries on every flight.
American Airlines has not released additional details about the condition of the five burned passengers or the specific cause of the laptop failure on Friday’s flight. The aircraft involved was removed from service for inspection following the incident.
The airline continues to operate Flight 2398 on its scheduled route between Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth.