IndiGo 6E 6115: Reported Power-Bank Fire Diverts Delhi–Chennai Flight

Nobody was hurt, and the aircraft landed safely. That is the good news from IndiGo flight 6E 6115. The rest of the story is a reminder of what a small battery can do in a sealed cabin at cruising height, and of how much depends on passengers speaking up quickly.

What happened

On Sunday, 11 October 2026, IndiGo flight 6E 6115 was flying from Delhi to Chennai when smoke was detected from a passenger’s personal electronic device. In its statement, IndiGo said the cabin crew responded promptly and brought the situation under control, and that the pilots diverted the flight to Hyderabad in line with established procedures.

Hindustan Times reported that the aircraft was carrying 191 people and landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, at around 3.15 pm. No injuries were reported in the sources we reviewed.

Several news reports described the device as a power bank that caught fire, and said the crew put out the flames. IndiGo’s own statement used the broader words “personal electronic device”. We keep that difference clear in this case study, because the airline has not published what the device was or why it failed.

Response

The crew dealt with the device on board, and the pilots chose to land at the nearest suitable airport rather than continue to Chennai. An airport official told Hindustan Times that because the fire had already been put out, no emergency or priority landing needed to be declared.

After landing, IndiGo apologised to passengers, offered refreshments and kept them updated. The journey to Chennai resumed that evening; Hindustan Times reported a departure from Hyderabad at about 5.45 pm.

What is known about the cause

Very little has been published. No technical cause, device examination or regulatory finding had been made public as of 12 October 2026. It is not known whether the device was a power bank, what its watt-hour rating was, whether it was being used or charged, or where exactly it was in the cabin.

What is known is the general risk. In an advisory dated 11 November 2025, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) warned that lithium battery fires can be triggered by overheating, overcharging, crushing, manufacturing defects or mishandling, as reported by Hindustan Times. That is a list of possible causes, not a finding about this flight. Do not read it as blame on the passenger, the maker or the airline.

The same report noted earlier power-bank incidents on IndiGo aircraft: a fire on flight 6E-108 shortly after landing at Chandigarh in May 2026, in which six passengers were injured, and one aboard flight 6E 2107 while it taxied at Delhi in October 2025, in which nobody was hurt.

What remains unknown

• The type and condition of the device, and its watt-hour rating
• Whether it was charging, being used or switched off
• Exactly where it was in the cabin and how the crew contained it
• The technical failure sequence
• Whether DGCA or the airline will publish any investigation finding

Lessons

The rules on board are now clear. The Ministry of Civil Aviation told the Rajya Sabha on 9 March 2026 that DGCA’s Dangerous Goods Advisory Circular of 11 November 2025 advises airlines to prohibit using power banks to charge devices during a flight. According to the advisory as reported, airlines should also tell passengers to carry power banks and spare batteries only in hand baggage, keep them out of overhead bins, and tell cabin crew at once if a device gives off heat, smoke or an unusual smell.

If a device near you starts to smoke:

• Tell the cabin crew immediately and say the seat number.
• Do not touch, move, cover or throw the device unless the crew tell you to. They have the equipment and the training.
• Keep the aisle clear and stay seated unless told to move. Filming from close by only gets in the way.
• If it is your device, tell the crew where it is and whether it was charging.
• If an evacuation is ordered, leave your bags behind.
• After landing, see a doctor if you have any breathing irritation or burns, even if the event seemed small.

Before your next flight, check the watt-hour label on every power bank you own, keep them in your hand baggage, and do not use them to charge anything during the flight. It takes two minutes at home, and it is the part of this story that is in your hands.

Reporting limits

This case study is based on IndiGo’s statement as quoted in news reports, Hindustan Times reporting, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Rajya Sabha answer. News reports call the device a power bank, but no device examination or final investigation had been published when we checked. No location inside the cabin is given, and the map shows only the diversion airport. The image with this article is an AI-generated editorial illustration, not a photograph of the incident.

More on Hyderabad: see our Hyderabad fire and emergency safety guide for fire brigade numbers, every fire station and the local risks to know.