A tense incident occurred when a mobile phone caught fire and smoke filled a British Airways plane at Japan's Haneda Airport, forcing a temporary flight cancellation and full passenger evacuation.
On 19 June 2026, officials from Japan's Ministry of Transport and Tokyo fire department reported that a British Airways flight bound for London, England, emitted smoke from a passenger's luggage while taxiing from the gate to the runway at Haneda Airport around 13:00 local time.
After the report, air traffic control ordered the plane to return to the parking area immediately. The crew then used a fire extinguisher to successfully control the situation. Firefighters later found the smoke originated from a passenger's smartphone inside the cabin.
The report stated that the flight carried a total of 211 passengers and crew, with no injuries from the incident. After thorough safety checks, the plane was allowed to resume its journey, delayed by about one hour. The Ministry of Transport is currently investigating the cause and details of the event.
Source: NHK