A recent incident on a Lufthansa Airbus A380 flight has highlighted the potential safety risks of lithium batteries. The plane had to divert from its route to Munich, bound for Los Angeles, due to a tablet that became jammed in a business-class seat.
The tablet, identified as an iPad, had already shown visible signs of deformation when the pilots took action. To eliminate any potential risk, they decided to divert to Boston Logan International Airport.
Lithium batteries are known to pose a safety risk if damaged or crushed. If punctured or crushed, they can lead to thermal runaway – a chain reaction that causes the battery to overheat, possibly catching fire or exploding.
The incident was deemed a precautionary measure by Lufthansa, with the airline’s top priority being passenger and crew safety. A team from Lufthansa Technik then safely removed and inspected the damaged tablet.
The delayed flight continued on Thursday after arriving in Munich three hours behind schedule for an 11-hour transatlantic journey.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/lufthansa-flight-diverted-boston-tablet-stuck-business-class-seat-2025-4