For most of us, the portable charger is a no-brainer. Another recent KLM flight comes as a reminder that this is a small habit that could be better noticed. A power bank fire in the business class cabin ended an aircraft trip across the Atlantic in the middle of the Caribbean as the jet turned back to its point of origin, and the man who's responsible has an interesting backstory.

What went wrong on KLM 777?

KLM flight KL735 departed on Thursday 17 September 2026 from Amsterdam (AMS) on a Boeing 777-300ER, with the call sign PH-BVP, for Curacao (CUR). Here is the order in which events of the day unfolded:

• Scheduled departure: 1:25 PM
• Actual departure: 3:21 PM, almost two hours late
• Event time: About 2.5 hours into flight en route to the southwest over the Atlantic
• The landing time in Amsterdam will be around 5 hours and 20 minutes after take off: 8:42 PM

Somewhere in the business class cabin, a passenger's power bank caught fire. The fire damaged the seat, and also left the surrounding area burned, and pictures of the aftermath show a cabin that appears to be quite rough. The crew was able to extinguish the fire in no time at all, just what a 35,000 foot aircraft would expect, but the captain decided to stop and return to Amsterdam instead of crossing the ocean.

Re-embarkation was made possible by re-booking passengers on other flights. Speaking of the plane, one can only hope that the damage will not be permanent because it will be very difficult to get it back into shape after a fire.

The Person Sitting in Front of the Fire

A turn in the story happens here. KLM's former CEO Camiel Eurlings is in politics, and he is believed to be the man who had his power bank ignited. It is said he was using the device while sleeping.

Whether he didn't know about the airline's policy, or if he just didn't think about it is not known. Tough to swallow, to say the least: A former executive of the airline got into trouble with the skies, and the rules used to prevent such things are supposed to be in place here. It also did not make for an easy flight back to Amsterdam.

Whether KLM would pursue him for damages was a question on many minds, if not to take away travel benefits a former chief executive might have. The company hasn't indicated that a fine will be imposed.

In Simple Terms, KLM's Power Bank Regulations

These items are so important to airlines because of lithium-ion batteries. If one overheats or is damaged, it can enter a chain-reaction overheating process which is difficult to break. For this reason KLM's policy is so detailed:

• Up to two power banks are allowed per passenger.
• They are to be carried in carry-on bags, NOT checked bags.
• They should not be buried in a bag at the bottom.
• They can't charge devices whilst in flight.

There are many more carriers with comparable policies and some carriers are making them more stringent, so be sure to check your airline's policy before your next flight.

Why it is Logical to "just charge it in your seat"

The irony is that, in flights, it's oftentimes unnecessary to use a power bank up front, particularly. In business class on a long haul aircraft, such as the 777, outlets or USB ports usually are provided at every seat. Normally you don't run into the danger of plugging into the power source in another person's pocket or under the blanket, and you'll be OK.

If you still need to pack a power bank, there are a few considerations to keep in mind: Make sure it's in plain sight for you and your crew; Avoid having it packed between seat cushions; Do not use a battery that is swollen, hot or damaged.

What this means for Points and Miles Travelers

Disruptions like this one are a good reminder to think about your safety net before you leave home. If a flight turns back, you suddenly find yourself in the queue to rebook, the wrong flight, and the hotel's questions. There are a few things that can make things easier:

• Save your booking confirmations and screenshots of any delay or diversion notices.
• Find out if your travel credit card provides trip delay or interruption insurance.
• Have criticals like medications, chargers, etc. in carry-on bags.

Some cards do not provide these protections, and the conditions differ significantly, so it's best to check the benefits guide in the cards you use to reserve airfares.

The Bottom line

The passenger was said to be sleeping in the business class cabin when he woke up to find a power bank had caught fire on the KLM flight travelling to Curacao which forced the aircraft to return to Amsterdam. The crew extinguished the blaze and the aircraft proceeded to a safe ground landing, making the flight into a 5-hour journey to nowhere. Battery incidents occur from time to time on planes, but the special thing about this one is the person who did it is KLM's former CEO. Follow your airline's power bank policy, use the seat power outlet whenever possible, whether you're in economy or up front.