Fire on board American flight, burns 5 passengers

A routine flight from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, GA (ATL/KATL) to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, TX (DFW/KDFW) turned terrifying when a passenger’s laptop suddenly burst into flames, sending smoke through the cabin and reportedly leaving several passengers burned. Flight attendants scrambled to contain the device as the plane approached its destination, while the pilot alerted air traffic control to the unfolding emergency.

The frightening incident unfolded Friday evening aboard American Airlines Flight 2398, which was traveling from Atlanta, Georgia, to Dallas, Texas. The plane was carrying more than 140 passengers when a laptop reportedly caught fire toward the back of the cabin.

Air traffic control audio captured the pilot reporting a “cabin fire in the back of the airplane” as the aircraft approached Dallas. The pilot also indicated that the burning device may have injured several passengers.

“I think we have about four or five passengers that were burned by the laptop,” the pilot reportedly said. “The laptop is contained about mid-aircraft.”

According to the audio, flight attendants quickly moved to contain the fire and attempted to put out the flames while the plane continued its descent toward its destination. The aircraft landed safely at Dallas-Fort Worth at around 6:55 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Emergency personnel were waiting for the plane after the crew reported the laptop battery fire.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said flight attendants contained the fire using a specialized piece of safety equipment. “Flight attendants contained the fire with a thermal containment bag,” the agency said.

American Airlines confirmed that smoke from a passenger’s device was reported during the flight’s landing and said the aircraft arrived safely at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

“American Airlines flight 2398 landed safely at DFW after reports of smoke from a customer’s device during landing,” the airline told the waiting media.

The carrier also praised the flight crew for their quick response as they worked to contain the situation.
“We thank our crew for their professionalism and swift response to quickly contain the device.”

Aircraft Information:

Airline: American Airlines

Code: AA/AAL

Aircraft: Airbus A321-211

Registration: N197UW

Serial Number: 3928

Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B3/P
First Flew: 25/05/2009
Age: 17.3 Years

Air Transat Flight 236 - AKA the Azores Glider

On the 24th of August 2001, Air Transat Flight 236, traveling from Toronto-Pearson International Airport, ON (YYZ/CYYZ) to Lisboa-Portela de Sacavém Airport (LIS/LPPT) lost all engine power while flying over the Atlantic in the dark. The Airbus A330 ran out of fuel due to a leak caused by improper maintenance. Captain Robert Piché, and First Officer Dirk DeJager managed to glide the plane to a safe emergency landing in the Azores, saving all 306 people on board. This incident set the record for the longest passenger aircraft glide without engines, covering nearly 65 nautical miles (120 km; 75 mi), earning the plane the nickname “Azores Glider.”

The Portuguese Aviation Accidents Prevention and Investigation Department (GPIAAF), working with Canadian and French authorities, investigated the accident and found that it was mainly caused by the crew’s mishandling of a fuel leak in the number two engine.

The fuel leak happened because Air Transat maintenance staff accidentally fitted the wrong part to the hydraulic system during routine work. The engine had been swapped with an older spare from Rolls-Royce that didn’t have a hydraulic pump. Even though the lead mechanic raised concerns, Air Transat approved using a part from a similar engine. This adaptation left only a few millimetres of clearance between the hydraulic and fuel lines, which caused them to rub against each other until the fuel line ruptured, leading to the leak.

Air Transat accepted responsibility for the accident and was fined C$250,000 by the Canadian government, which is the largest fine in Canadian history.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Air Transat 

Code: TS/TSC

Aircraft: Airbus A330-243

Registration: C-GITS

Serial Number: 271

Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent 772B

First Flew: 17/03/1999

Age: 2.5 Years

Pay $800 or leave you child behind, American Airlines told a family

A family who recently traveled with American Airlines from Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX) to Philadelphia (PHL/KPHL) had the shock of their lives when they returned to the airport to head home, and found out that they were going to be charged more than $800 for their two-year-old daughter being for an extra seat, when she was permitted to travel on the lap of the parent on the outbound flight.

Lena Anthony, an influencer and actress, was traveling to Pennsylvania with her family, which includes four children aged six, four, two, and six months. On the 30th of June the family departed from Los Angeles International Airport to Philadelphia International Airport, where her two-year-old and six-month-old flew on their laps with no issue.

After spending two weeks in Pennsylvania, the family returned to the airport to fly back to California and were told they would need to purchase an additional seat for their two-year-old daughter. They were immediately confused, as they were able to travel from Los Angeles with no issue.

The family provided birth certificates in Los Angeles before departing for Philadelphia, and although the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) regulations require children over 24 months to have their own seat, the airline unknowingly allowed the child to travel to Pennsylvania on a parent's lap.

When the family questioned American's request for their return trip home, the supervisor said there was no way the family was allowed to travel here with this type of reservation. The family tried to show photos of how they were allowed to do so; however, it did not change the airline's mind.

The Anthony family went back and forth with the airline managers at the airport for over half an hour, until the children were on the floor crying. Eventually, the airline employee gave the Anthonys an ultimatum, which was to pay for an extra ticket or 'you don't go home', or get on the flight and leave the child behind.

The family ended up forking out an extra $871 for the one-way ticket back to Los Angeles, and the Anthonys thought that was the end of the drama. Once the family boarded the aircraft, they realized that the seat selection had placed their daughter on her own at the rear of the aircraft. With no assistance from cabin crew at all, they were able to negotiate with another passenger to swap seats.

Following the incident, the family has been emotionally distressed and has now filed a complaint with the Fort Worth-based carrier. According to a video shared by Anthony, they have not received a response from the airline in over two weeks. 

Fuel contamination issue hits all Fiji services

Airlines flying in and out of Fiji are having to bring in their own fuel due to a contamination problem affecting the country’s international airport.

Virgin Australia cancelled two services on Thursday on its Fiji route and confirmed planes are being forced to stop halfway at airports such in New Caledonia and Vanuatu to make the journey back to Australia and Fiji.

One pilot described to the local media as a "very rare" situation, airlines are being asked to fuel up at alternative airports if possible and bring in stockpiles of fuel to Nadi International Airport. In correspondence seen by the media, pilots are being told that there is a "major contamination" and supply cannot be guaranteed in Fiji.

Pilots have been told the problem may continue until the end of the month. One pilot said he has to bring in "more than 20 tonnes" of fuel to Fiji in order to make the flight back to Australia. On a standard plane that services Fiji that equates to about one third to a quarter of a tank.

Qantas said it had switched to larger planes, from a Boeing 737 to an Airbus A330, for the Sydney-Nadi route to avoid needing to refuel in Nadi.

The contamination issue relates to an excessive electrical charge in a batch of fuel stored at the airport, however it was unclear where the issue originated from. The source indicated it could be resolved soon or escalate into a more significant issue.

Fiji Airports did not confirm the cause of the contamination issue. A spokesperson said they were making "operational adjustments" and the airport was "closely monitoring the current aviation fuel situation". "Nadi International Airport (NAN/NFFN)  remains open and operational, with established safety and operational protocols being maintained," it said.

Fiji Airlines is by far the most active in the country, operating about 80 domestic and international flights out of the airport per day.

Korean Air launches seasonal flights from Seoul to Melbourne

Korean Air has announced it will launch nonstop services between Seoul's Incheon International Airport (ICN/RKSI) and Melbourne Airport (MEL/YMML), operating three times a week from the 18th of December 2026, through to the 14th of March 2027.

The new route is driven by steady growth in travel between South Korea and Australia, complementing Korean Air’s existing year-round service to Sydney and Brisbane. The addition gives travelers expanded nonstop options to Australia’s key cultural and business hubs during the peak winter travel period.

Melbourne, home to more than 5.3 million residents, is a major metropolitan center known for its culture, arts, food scene, sports, and education. Korean Air said the new service is designed to support expanding cultural, business, and leisure exchange between the two countries.

The route will be operated using Boeing 787-9 aircraft, flying every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. 

Flight KE409 departs Seoul Incheon at 08:00 local time and arrives in Melbourne at 20:30 local time. 

Flight KE410 departs Melbourne at 22:00 local time and arrives back in Seoul Incheon at 07:35 local time the following day.

Plane spotting at Brisbane

Yesterday, our youngest daughter embarked on her first solo international flight to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. My wife, other daughter, and I went to the airport with her, made sure she checked in smoothly, and after she headed through customs, we went to the viewing area to watch her flight take off and, of course, take photos of a few planes come and go.

DAUGHTERS RIDE TO SINGAPORE

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737-8FE VH-YIL (MSN 38713)
VA909 ARRIVING FROM SYDNEY (SYD) 14 YEARS

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-202 VH-EBO (MSN 1169)
QF119 OFF TO AUCKLAND (AKL) 15 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A321-251NX VH-OYW (MSN 12183)
JQ60 ARRIVING FROM DENPASAR (DPS) 1 YEAR

CHINA EASTERN AIRBUS A330-243 B-6538 (MSN 1267)
MU715 ARRIVING FROM SHANGHAI (PVG) 14 YEARS

MALAYSIA AIRLINES AIRBUS A330-941 9M-MNO (MSN 2109)
MH134 OFF TO KUALA LUMPUR (KUL) 8 MONTHS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-VZW (MSN 39359)
QF935 OFF TO PERTH (PER) 14 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A321-251NX VH-OFS (MSN 11229)
JQ813 OFF TO SYDNEY (SYD) 3 YEARS

QANTASLINK EMBRAER E190AR VH-UZK (MSN 19000198)
QLK1918 OFF TO GLADSTONE (GLT) 18 YEARS

QANTASLINK AIRBUS A220-300 VH-X4F (MSN 55340)
QLK1550 OFF TO TOWNSVILLE (TSV) 1 YEAR

JETSTAR AIRBUS A321-231 VH-VWX (MSN 3899)
JQ563 OFF TO MELBOURNE (MEL) 17 YEARS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-XZP (MSN 44577)
QF133 OFF TO CHRISTCHURCH (CHC) 11 YEARS

ALLIANCE AIRLINES FOKKER 70 VH-QQY (MSN 11575)
QQ8606 ARRIVING FROM MOOMBA (MOO) 30 YEARS

AIR NIUGINI BOEING 767-383 P2-PXW (MSN 25365)
PX3 ARRIVING FROM PORT MORESBY (POM) 34 YEARS

AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE BEECH KING AIR 350 VH-EID (FL-1114)

SINGAPORE AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 9V-SHT (MSN 464)
SQ256 OFF TO SINGAPORE (SIN) 5 YEARS 

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-202 VH-EBP (MSN 1174)
QF515 OFF TO SYDNEY (SYD) 14 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A321-271NX ZK-NND (MSN 8629)
NZ272 OFF TO WELLINGTON (WLG) 7 YEARS

JETSTAR BOEING 787-8 VH-VKL (MSN 36238)
JQ66 OFF TO BANGKOK (BKK) 10 YEARS

QANTASLINK DASH 8 400 VH-LQM (MSN 4450)
QLK806D OFF TO MORANBAH (MOV) 13 YEARS

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES AIRBUS A321-271N RP-C9936 (MSN 8619)
PR221 ARRIVING FROM MANILA (MNL) 7 YEARS 

SINGAPORE AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 9V-SHH (MSN 316)
SQ255 ARRIVING FROM SINGAPORE (SIN) 7 YEARS

CHINA SOUTHERN AIRBUS A330-343 B-8361 (MSN 1814)
CZ383 OFF TO GUANGZHOU (CAN) 8 YEARS

NEXUS DASH 8 400 VH-8XC (MSN 4331)
CT862 ARRIVING FROM MORANBAH (MOV) 16 YEARS

AERLINK ATR 72-500 VH-FVY (MSN 840)
AL521 ARRIVING FROM MORANBAH (MOV) 17 YEARS

AVCAIR LEARJET 60 VH-AVL (MSN 60-286) 21 YEARS

NATIONAL JET EXPRESS DASH 8 400 VH-8QB (MSN 4323) 16 YEARS

LINK AIRWAYS SAAB 340B VH-VEF (MSN 340B-408)
ARRIVING FROM COBAR (CAZ) 27 YEARS

UNITED AIRLINES BOEING 777-224 N78013 (MSN 29861)
UA97 OFF TO SAN FRANCISCO (SFO) 26 YEARS

AIR CANADA BOEING 787-9 C-FRTU (MSN 37183)
AC36 OFF TO VANCOUVER (YVR) 9 YEARS

American Airlines 737s flying under same callsign, same day, same route

Two American Airlines Boeing 737-800s were airborne in the same sector near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) under the callsign “American 2482” shortly after midnight on the 14th of August 2026, a duplication the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now investigating. One aircraft was arriving from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD/KORD), the other had just departed Phoenix (PHX/KPHX) for Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD/KORD).

Flightradar24 data showed the arriving flight descending through 11,000 feet while the departure was climbing toward 9,000 feet when the crews and the controller working the sector identified the duplication. The FAA said required separation was maintained throughout, and neither aircraft has been reported as receiving a collision avoidance resolution advisory.

American Airlines uses flight number 2482 in both directions on the Chicago to Phoenix route, normally with a single aircraft turning around at Phoenix. The inbound leg was delayed by weather and landed at 00:13 local time against a scheduled arrival of 10:43. Rather than hold the return service, the carrier assigned a second 737-800 already at Phoenix, which departed at 11:58. Both aircraft were airborne under the same identifier at the same time, on the same frequency.

Where a duplication is anticipated, the second flight is normally refiled under a different number before pushback, or a letter D is appended to the callsign. Neither step was taken.

Once the conflict became apparent, the controller began addressing the aircraft as “American 2482 on the arrival” and “American 2482 on the departure,” restricted the departing jet to 9,000 feet, kept the arrival above it, and passed traffic advisories to both crews as the tracks converged. Both reported the other aircraft in sight.

On frequency, the controller told the crews he had not seen two aircraft pass each other under the same callsign in 25 years of working traffic, adding that it could have been disastrous.

Aircraft Information Arriving:

Airline: American Airlines

Code: AA/AAL

Aircraft: Boeing 737-823

Registration: N946NN

Serial Number: 33234

Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-7B24

First Flew: 21st January 2014

Age: 12 Years

Aircraft Information Departing:

Airline: American Airlines

Code: AA/AAL

Aircraft: Boeing 737-823

Registration: N925AN

Serial Number: 29526

Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-7B24

First Flew: 7th December 1999

Age: 26 Years