On October 18, Air China flight CA139 departed from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport at 9:47 a.m., bound for Incheon, South Korea.

About an hour into the flight, passengers suddenly heard a loud explosion from the overhead luggage compartment, followed by visible flames and thick smoke filling the cabin. One passenger recalled, “There was a sudden bang, and flames shot out from the front row’s overhead bin — the entire cabin filled with smoke.”

Crew members quickly used onboard fire extinguishers to put out the blaze, successfully bringing the situation under control, though a strong burnt smell lingered inside the plane.

At 11:07 a.m., the flight made an emergency landing at Shanghai Pudong Airport. All passengers were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported. Another aircraft was later arranged to continue the journey to Incheon.

Air China later confirmed that the fire was caused by a lithium battery that spontaneously ignited inside a passenger’s carry-on luggage. The airline stated that the passenger had violated regulations by placing the battery in the overhead bin instead of keeping it under observation in their personal bag.

Since June 2025, domestic Chinese flights have banned power banks without CCC certification or with unclear labeling, but international flights only restrict battery capacity (≤100Wh) without mandatory certification checks. It remains unclear whether the battery involved met regulatory standards.