Return Flight Due to Battery Fire Concerns
"An Unavoidable Measure for Safe Operation"
An Asiana Airlines passenger plane traveling from Istanbul, T?rkiye to Incheon was forced to return to its departure airport due to concerns over a potential fire caused by a passenger's lost portable battery onboard.
According to Yonhap News on July 30, flight OZ552 (B777 aircraft), which departed Istanbul Airport for Incheon at 5:42 p.m. local time the previous day, turned back to the airport after approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes in the air. This was because a passenger had dropped a smartphone portable battery into a gap below the window and was unable to retrieve it. Asiana Airlines determined that if the battery became lodged in a narrow seat gap and was subjected to pressure, it could explode or catch fire, and therefore decided to turn the aircraft around.
Flight OZ552 returned to Istanbul Airport, disembarked its 277 passengers, and underwent an inspection. It is scheduled to depart again for Korea at 1:00 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. Korean time) on the same day. Asiana Airlines stated, "The flight was turned back for safety after confirmation that a portable battery had been lost onboard," adding, "It was an unavoidable measure to ensure safe operation." The airline also explained that after informing passengers of the return, it provided accommodations and meals at a local hotel.
A similar incident occurred with a French airline in March. At that time, an Air France Boeing 777 departed Paris Orly Airport for Guadeloupe, a French territory in the Caribbean, but returned to the departure airport after about two hours when a passenger lost a mobile phone onboard and could not locate it. After a thorough search by staff upon return, the missing phone was found and the flight departed again for its destination. As a result, the flight arrived in Guadeloupe about four hours later than scheduled. Air France expressed regret over the incident but emphasized, "The safety of our customers and crew is our airline's top priority."
Hassan Shahidi, president of the U.S. Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), who was briefed on the incident, noted that while losing a mobile phone onboard is not common, it can be dangerous if the device becomes lodged in a seat gap and is subjected to pressure. He said, "If a mobile phone is left inside a seat and pressure is applied, it can in fact be very dangerous," and stated that Air France's decision to return the aircraft was appropriate.
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