A British Airways baggage container burst into flames minutes after being unloaded from an aircraft at Milan Malpensa airport on Sunday afternoon. The blaze erupted from a luggage container that had just been removed from an A321neo, with fire crews arriving rapidly on the stand as black smoke billowed from the grey unit.
The cause was identified as a short circuit in the loading machinery, known as a unit loading device, operated by BA's handling partner Avia. Initially, a lithium ion battery was thought to be the likely culprit, but the short circuit was confirmed as the source. Other speculated causes included the heat, with temperatures reaching 35C in Italy's second largest city.
Flight Delayed and Bags Damaged
The incident delayed the return flight to London Heathrow by nearly two-and-a-half hours as emergency services made the area safe, according to Corriere della Sera. British Airways confirmed that a small number of passengers' bags had been damaged in the fire and that an investigation was underway to establish the cause.
A spokesperson for the airline said: 'We're aware of small a number of checked bags that were damaged by fire while on the ground in Milan Malpensa Airport. The incident was quickly dealt with and there were no injuries or impact to any flights. We've been in contact with the small number of customers whose bags are affected to apologise and provide support. We are working closely with our partners and an investigation is underway to establish to cause.'
Lithium Battery Warnings in Aviation
The incident comes amid successive warnings over the danger of lithium ion batteries on planes, which are prohibited in hold luggage by aviation regulations. The concerns are well-founded given the perilous prospect of a fire in a contained space such as an aircraft, potentially at high altitude.
In January 2025, a plane was destroyed after a power bank ignited in an overhead locker. The Air Busan aircraft was sat on the tarmac at Gimhae Airport in South Korea when it became engulfed in flames. The incident prompted IATA to launch a campaign to encourage passengers to 'travel smart with lithium batteries'.
