A COMMON passenger mistake is causing huge problems on flights – and even causing planes to divert.
Earlier this week, a United Airlines flight was forced to land in in Dublin rather than London.
The cause? A laptop sliding down the side of the seat.
While this may not seem like a large cause for concern, airlines warn against any technology that falls down the side of the seat.
This is due to them potentially being damaged if they fall into the seat reclining mechanisms.
If a passenger then damages the laptop by reclining, it can lead to the batteries in them catching on fire.
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And it’s not just laptops, but mobile phones can also cause this problem.
Back in 2018, crew were forced to extinguish a fire onboard a Qantas flight from Melbourne to LA after a plane stuck between seats set on fire.
And in 2020, a British Airways passenger’s phone caught o fire after it slipped down while she slept, and she then reclined without realising.
When it come to laptop issues, just last year a United flight from Zurich to Chicago had to emergency land in Ireland after a laptop got stuck in the seats.
Patrick Smith, a pilot, and author of Ask the Pilot previously warned about the dangers of this.
He said: “If you’re in an electrically controlled lie-flat seat, of the type common in first or business class, there are a number of nooks and crannies into which your phone can slip – beyond your reach and down into the mechanisms that control the seat’s various positions.”
Passengers are urged to alert flight crew if any of their devices fall down the side of the seat.
If they can’t be retrieved, then the seat shouldn’t be reclined until the plane has landed.
In British Airways‘ latest onboard safety announcement, they warn: “If you do lose your device within your seat, please don’t move your seat yourself.
“Ask a member of crew for some help.”
A rise in onboard fires has also been caused by portable charges, leading ot many airlines banning the use of them.
Most recently, power banks are no longer allowed to be used on a number of Australian airlines, and must not be put in the overhead lockers.
Other airlines like Emirates are also not allowing passengers to use them during a flight, and encourages the use of the in-seat charging instead.
Only Korean Air fully bans power banks being taken onboard, after one of their aircraft was decommissioned due to fire damage caused by one.
Back in 2020, a passenger’s laptop was destroyed after someone reclined their seat onto it, crushing the screen.
