Smoke from headphone case caused SWISS emergency landing

Smoke from a headphone case on a Swiss flight; unscheduled landing Keystone-SDA

A headphone case that had become lodged in a seat caused smoke to develop on a Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) flight from Zurich to New York last Monday. The aircraft therefore made an unscheduled landing in Bangor, in the US state of Maine.

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Technical experts inspected the aircraft in Bangor and discovered that a charging case for headphones had slipped into a seat, where it had become damaged, causing the smoke.

The crew of flight LX16 bound for New York acted immediately and correctly, SWISS said in a statement today. In the event of smoke of unknown origin, there is no risk. No one was injured; all 208 passengers and the crew are safe and well, the airline added.

+ SWISS plane makes emergency landing due to smoke

Power banks banned

The Lufthansa subsidiary took the opportunity to remind passengers of the current regulations regarding electronic devices with lithium batteries. Since the start of this year, the use of power banks on board has no longer been permitted. It is not permitted to charge either devices using a power bank or the power bank itself.

Passengers may carry a maximum of two of these external batteries with them. These must be kept on the person, in the seat pocket or in hand luggage stored under the seat. It is prohibited to carry them in hold luggage or in the overhead lockers above the seats. The same rules also apply to e-cigarettes.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.