A British Airways baggage container burst into flames minutes after being unloaded from an aircraft at Milan Malpensa airport on Sunday afternoon. The fire, which erupted from a luggage container just unloaded from an A321neo, was quickly attended by fire crews as black smoke billowed from the grey container.
Cause Identified as Short Circuit
Initially, a lithium ion battery was suspected, but the cause was later identified as a short circuit in the loading machinery, known as a unit loading device, operated by BA’s handling partner Avia. Other speculated causes included the heat, with temperatures reaching 35C in Italy’s second largest city.
Flight Delayed and Investigation Launched
The incident delayed the return flight to London Heathrow by nearly two-and-a-half hours as emergency services made the area safe, Corriere della Sera reported. British Airways confirmed a small number of passengers’ bags had been damaged and that an investigation was underway.
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.’
Context of Lithium Battery Warnings
The incident comes amid successive warnings over the danger of lithium ion batteries on planes, which are prohibited in hold luggage by aviation regulations. In January 2025, a plane was destroyed after a power bank ignited in an overhead locker at Gimhae Airport in South Korea, prompting IATA to launch a campaign to encourage passengers to ‘travel smart with lithium batteries’.
