Yesterday, a KLM Boeing 777-300ER flying from Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) in the Netherlands to Curaçao International Airport (CUR) in the Caribbean had to divert back to the Dutch capital after a passenger’s power bank caught fire. While such situations arise from time to time in the world of aviation, this was particularly noteworthy for the fact that the passenger in question was the airline’s ex-CEO.
Camiel Eurlings served as the President and CEO of KLM from July 2013 to October 2014, succeeding Peter Hartman. He was said to have been shocked and embarrassed about the incident, but, given his close ties to the airline, some of the flight’s passengers were not desperately sympathetic, as he, of all people, would likely know the rules. A replacement jet is now flying to Curaçao today instead.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight is a daily scheduled service between Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Curaçao that has a block time of nine hours and 45 minutes, departing at 1:25 PM and landing at 5:10 PM local time. Data from Flightradar24 shows that, yesterday, it left almost two hours late, at 3:21 PM. However, its punctuality would soon take a significant further hit as a fire broke out on board.
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This, per RTL, was caused by a passenger’s power bank, and it now turns out that it belonged to ex-KLM CEO Camiel Eurlings, and he was using it at the time. Images on social media show a blackened business class window, with Eurlings having reportedly suffered minor injuries. The fire prompted the flight to divert back to Amsterdam, with a spokesperson saying that it would not levy a fine against Eurlings:
“We give the message at the beginning of the flight that [power bank usage] is not allowed. We do not hand out any further fines.”
According to Flightradar24, KLM flight KL735 from Amsterdam to Curacao is normally operated by Boeing 777-300ER widebody twinjets: the example involved in yesterday’s diversion was the ten-year-old PH-BVP. Since touching back down in the Dutch capital city, the aircraft is yet to take to the skies again. Meanwhile, following the diversion, KLM had to accommodate 322 passengers in hotels.
A day later, a replacement aircraft is now trying once again to take these flyers to Curaçao. Tracking data made available by Flightradar24 shows that, this time, KLM has dispatched a six-year-old Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner that bears the registration PH-BKG. It left at 10:35 AM and is expected to reach Curaçao at 1:25 PM. Thereafter, it will operate yesterday’s iteration of KL326 back to Amsterdam at 6:55 PM.
RTL spoke to various passengers on board the flight, who expressed their frustration at the delay having been caused by rules being broken by someone close to KLM. One said that “if you are just a passenger, such a mistake can happen, but if you have monitored the company’s house rules, this is very strange,” with another adding that Eurlings “feels very bad about the situation and the discomfort.”
Passengers can now carry up to two power banks each onboard.
The recent spike in aircraft having to divert due to fires caused by thermal runaway experienced by the lithium-ion batteries in power banks has caused airlines and aviation regulators to rethink the relevant rules and regulations surrounding these devices in recent years. KLM’s website notes that while “you can bring up to two [power banks in hand luggage], you may not be able to” if the capacity isn’t listed.
In any case, while bringing a power bank or two on board is one thing, KLM’s rules and regulations also make it explicitly clear that “it’s not allowed to put it in the overhead bin, and using or charging it on board is also not allowed.” As such, the incident on KL735 yesterday represented a clear violation, and served as a stark reminder of the potentially serious consequences of battery fires on board aircraft.
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