A Delta Air Lines flight was delayed Wednesday night after an e-cigarette ignited itself in a passenger’s carry-on bag.
There were 166 passengers and crew on board the McDonnell Douglas MD-90 aircraft at the time of the incident.
Delta flight DL689 was preparing to take-off from Atlanta (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – ATL) for its flight to St. Louis (Lambert-St. Louis International Airport – STL).
Delta Air Lines spokeswoman said the bag ignited during the boarding process but it was safely extinguished with no damage to the aircraft.
The flight, which was scheduled to depart at 7.25pm was able to depart with a 20 minute delay.
Delta Air Lines statement
Delta Air Lines issued the following statement about to the incident:
“During the boarding process of Delta Flight 689 traveling from ATL to STL around 7 p.m. Wednesday night, a customer’s bag ignited from an e-cigarette.”
“The bag was safely extinguished with no damage to the aircraft. The flight departed about 20 minutes past scheduled departure.”
“It was an MD-90 aircraft with 160 passengers and 6 crew on board.”
According to Delta Air Lines baggage policy, e-cigarettes are allowed on board its flights, but must carried-on with the passenger and cannot included with checked luggage.
Much of the the concern around the safety of e-cigarettes center on its lithium ion batteries that have shown a propensity to ignite if they are damaged.
The DOT recently finalized rules officially banning the use of electronic cigarettes on all commercial flights to, from, or within the United States and previously enacted rules prohibiting passengers and crew members from carrying any battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices (e-cigarettes, vaporizers, e-cigars, etc.) in checked baggage.
Delta Air Lines e-cigarette policy
Delta Air Lines e-cigarette policy is as follows: “Battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices (e.g., e-cigarettes, e-cigs, e-cigars, e-pipes, e-hookahs, personal vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems) when carried by passengers or crew members for personal use must be carried on one’s person or in carry-on baggage only. Recharging of the devices and/or the batteries on board the aircraft is not permitted.”
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