An EasyJet flight from Egypt to Luton was forced to divert to Rome late on Tuesday after the crew were told a power bank was charging in luggage, in a move the airline said was made as a precaution under safety rules.
Flight EZY2618, which left Hurghada on May 19, landed at Rome Fiumicino at 11.30pm after the captain decided to turn the plane around. EasyJet said the diversion was triggered once the crew were informed about the charging power bank, and said safety was its highest priority.
The airline apologised to passengers for the disruption. Some were put up in hotels, while others slept in the terminal after the unscheduled stop in Italy. The carrier’s next Rome-to-Luton flight was scheduled for 2pm on Wednesday, leaving many travellers to wait through the night for a way home.
The incident shows how a small cabin problem can quickly become a flightwide decision when safety procedures are involved. Reports said a woman told a stewardess about her power bank, and the captain then opted to land in Rome rather than continue to Luton with the device charging in luggage.
EasyJet described the move as one taken in line with safety regulations, but the practical cost was immediate for the people on board. With hotels arranged for some and the terminal used as a backup for others, the airline’s next step was simply to get the passengers moving again on Wednesday afternoon.
What matters now is not the delay itself but the reason it happened: once the crew were alerted to the power bank, the diversion was treated as the safest option, and the plane did not continue to Luton that night.
