Getting a bottle of water on to an airplane may be one of the more frustrating travel experiences, but just about any portable electronic device is permitted. And, as Alaska Airlines demonstrated today, there’s a decent risk with such devices. One of the company’s in-flight sales devices was apparently malfunctioning on this morning’s flight from Newark to Seattle so the flight attendants binned it. Turns out that tossing it in the trash cart did not stop it from overheating, however, and that eventually led to smoke in the bin, multiple fire extinguishers discharged, and a diversion to Buffalo.
Alaska Airlines flight headed to Sea-Tac diverted in Buffalo after small fire in trash can on board.
[Photo @WGRZ] pic.twitter.com/vWN9m6kHEa— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) October 12, 2015
3 fire extinguishers were used to put out the trash can fire before the Alaska flight landed safely in Buffalo.
— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) October 12, 2015
UPDATE: Alaska now says the credit card reader started to smoke, flight crew used fire extinguisher to make sure it wouldn't catch fire.
— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) October 12, 2015
The US Department of Transportation has toughened rules on cargo shipments for lithium ion batteries or devices containing them. And airlines are being more aggressive about reminding travelers to not put such devices in checked bags, especially when carry-on bags are gate-checked.
But generally speaking such devices are permitted on planes. Even when they have a habit of sliding out of pockets and down in to the crevices of seats where they are cracked & crushed. Or just catching on fire because they want to. Oops.
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