Three Injured After Laptop Emits Smoke on American Airlines Flight at SFO

On Friday, an American Airlines flight at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) was evacuated due to smoke emanating from a passenger's laptop. The incident, which occurred before departure, resulted in three passengers sustaining minor injuries during the evacuation process.

American Airlines flight AA2045, scheduled to fly from San Francisco to Miami International Airport (MIA), experienced an emergency while still at the gate. According to ABC7news, the source of the smoke was a laptop inside a passenger's carry-on bag. The Airbus A321-200 was promptly evacuated using the aerobridge and an emergency slide.

The San Francisco Fire Department reported that the smoke was caused by the lithium-ion battery in the laptop catching fire. The exact cause of the battery malfunction is still under investigation. American Airlines released a statement expressing gratitude to their crew for their professionalism and apologizing for the inconvenience caused to passengers.

The scheduled departure of flight AA2045 was at 12:17 PM, but the smoke was reported just after 1:00 PM. By early Saturday morning, a replacement aircraft had been arranged, and the flight departed SFO en route to Miami with an expected duration of 5 hours and 30 minutes. The replacement aircraft was a premium-heavy Transcontinental-configured A321-200, equipped with Flagship Business and First class products offering lie-flat seats.

The incident highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of lithium-ion batteries on board aircraft. Thermal runaway, a phenomenon where a single cell ignites and triggers a chain reaction, can result in smoke or fire. Similar incidents, such as one involving Breeze Airways earlier this year, underscore the importance of stringent safety measures for electronic devices on flights.