A power bank caught fire aboard KLM flight KL735 from Amsterdam to Curaçao, forcing the Boeing 777 to turn back over the Atlantic.
WEB DESK: A KLM passenger flight from Amsterdam to Curaçao was forced to return to the Netherlands after a power bank caught fire inside the aircraft while it was flying over the Atlantic Ocean.
The incident occurred aboard KLM flight KL735, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, after the aircraft had been in the air for several hours on Thursday. The cabin crew extinguished the fire before the pilots decided to return to Amsterdam as a precaution.
Power bank catches fire onboard
The fire broke out in the aircraft’s business-class cabin after a passenger’s power bank overheated and caught fire.
KLM confirmed that its cabin crew responded to the incident and extinguished the fire in accordance with the airline’s procedures. The aircraft subsequently turned around over the Atlantic and returned to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
The aircraft landed safely in Amsterdam after roughly 5½ hours of flight time, according to aviation incident reporting. Passengers were subsequently rebooked onto other flights.
One passenger reportedly suffered minor injuries
Dutch media reported that one passenger sustained minor burns during the incident.
Reports from Dutch outlets also identified the passenger associated with the power bank as Camiel Eurlings, a former KLM chief executive and former Dutch transport minister. KLM has not publicly confirmed the passenger’s identity, citing confidentiality, according to aviation media reports.
Reports said the power bank was being charged when it caught fire. KLM’s rules prohibit passengers from using or charging power banks during flights.
KLM rules on power banks
KLM allows passengers to carry up to two power banks in their hand luggage, subject to applicable capacity limits.
The airline says power banks must remain visible, must not be placed in overhead storage compartments and cannot be used or charged during the flight.
These restrictions are intended to allow cabin crew to respond quickly if a lithium-battery device begins overheating or catches fire.
Flight returned despite fire being extinguished
Although the cabin crew brought the fire under control, the pilots decided to return to Amsterdam rather than continue across the Atlantic.
The decision meant passengers had to be rebooked onto other services after the aircraft returned to Schiphol.
The incident is also the second reported KLM flight disruption involving a power bank in roughly a year. In August 2025, another KLM aircraft travelling toward São Paulo returned to Amsterdam after a power bank began smoking in the cabin.
