Southwest's New Battery Policy In Spotlight After A Smoking Battery Charger Diverts Flight
A Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) flight on its way to Tampa, Florida, had to be diverted to South Carolina after a passenger's portable battery pack started smoking.
What Happened: An hour into its journey, flight 1844 from Baltimore to Tampa was diverted to Myrtle Beach following the incident, Business Insider reported on Monday.
"A customer’s battery charger apparently overheated and began to smoke. We appreciate the professionalism of our flight crew in swiftly handling the situation," a spokesperson for the airline cited in the report said. They added that the airline is investigating the incident.
Why It Matters: The news comes in days after the airline introduced an industry-first policy that required passengers to keep all portable chargers and battery packs in line of sight while in use to prevent any fire incidents.
Earlier this year, passengers in an Air Busan flight were evacuated after a portable charger in an overhead bin caught fire.
The company also ended its decades-old ‘Two Bags Fly Free' policy recently, which will reportedly help the airline generate $430 million in profits, according to analysts.
Elsewhere, the company also announced its first trans-Pacific partnership after it signed an agreement with Taiwan's China Airlines Group. The agreement would take effect in 2026.
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