A passenger’s laptop caught fire aboard American Airlines Flight 2398 from Atlanta to Dallas-Fort Worth, prompting an emergency response and reports that several passengers may have suffered burns.
The Airbus A321, carrying 133 people, was approaching Dallas when the crew reported a cabin fire in the rear of the aircraft. ATC audio captured the pilot telling controllers that the fire involved a passenger’s laptop and that flight attendants were working to contain the device.
The pilot initially reported that “about four to five passengers” may have been burned. The laptop was eventually contained, and the aircraft landed safely at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, where emergency crews were waiting. The aircraft was able to taxi to the gate under its own power.
American Airlines confirmed reports of smoke from a customer’s device. One passenger was treated by medical personnel after landing and released.
The incident is believed to involve a lithium-ion battery thermal runaway — a dangerous condition in which an overheating battery can rapidly ignite. While laptops can cause such events, FAA data indicates they are relatively uncommon compared with power banks, e-cigarettes and cell phones.
The FAA recorded more than 90 thermal runaway events involving lithium batteries on U.S. flights in 2025, including just eight attributed to laptops.
The incident is another reminder that damaged or overheating lithium batteries can become a serious hazard in an aircraft cabin, where crews must act quickly to contain a fire.
