A routine Tuesday night flight from Egypt to the UK turned into an unplanned overnight stop in Italy after a passenger raised a safety concern about a device in their bag. EasyJet confirmed the diversion and said all passengers were looked after until the flight resumed the following morning.
Sky News reported that flight EZY2618 departed Hurghada in Egypt and was scheduled to land at Luton Airport in the early hours of Wednesday. The aircraft was diverted to Rome Fiumicino after a passenger told the crew that a power bank was actively charging inside their checked luggage during the flight.
The captain took the decision to divert as a precaution in line with safety regulations. EasyJet said in a statement that the aircraft landed safely and passengers disembarked without incident. The airline provided hotel accommodation and meals where available. Passengers who remained in the airport were given refreshments while they waited.
EasyJet said in a statement: "The safety of its passengers and crew is easyJet's highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers' guidelines." The airline also apologised to passengers for the inconvenience caused by the diversion and the delay to their journey.
Power banks are considered a fire risk in aircraft holds because lithium batteries can overheat. Aviation safety rules generally require such devices to be carried in cabin baggage where they can be monitored. The passenger alerting the crew rather than staying silent is what prompted the precautionary stop.
The flight was rescheduled and operated the following morning with passengers continuing to Luton.
The incident comes at a difficult time for EasyJet. The airline has reported that summer bookings are running below last year's levels. It has sold 58% of its seats for the six months to the end of September which is down two percentage points compared to the same period a year ago.
