Accident: Lufthansa B748 near Chicago on Dec 26th 2022, laptop fire

By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Dec 27th 2022 19:23Z, last updated Tuesday, Dec 27th 2022 19:23Z

A Lufthansa Boeing 747-8, registration D-ABYJ performing flight LH-457 from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was enroute at FL350 about 220nm northwest of Chicago,IL (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Chicago reporting a passenger laptop had caught fire in the cabin. During the approach the crew advised the laptop fire was out. The aircraft landed safely on O'Hare's runway 28C about 55 minutes after leaving FL350.

The airline reported the aircraft diverted as a precaution after an overheated passenger laptop caused a small fire in the cabin, the fire was out by the time of landing. Two flight attendants needed to be treated for smoke inhalation. The passengers are being rebooked onto other flights.

The aircraft remained on the ground in Chicago for about 4 hours, then departed as flight LH-9925 to Frankfurt.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DLH457/history/20221226/2315Z/KLAX/EDDF

Reader Comments: (the comments posted below do not reflect the view of The Aviation Herald but represent the view of the various posters)

@ JJH
By Nick on Thursday, Dec 29th 2022 01:13Z

While the narrative doesn't specify the ORD - FRA was a ferry flight, it gives clear clues. 2 flight attendants were treated for smoke inhalation, they almost definitely couldn't continue their duties. The flight number change to 9925, and only 4 hours on the ground are also important. Being short on attendants for passengers, and the cabin not being in a condition appropriate for the customer experience, they did not have passengers. They left quick enough to get the flight crew and aircraft back to Frankfort before the flight crew duty hours ended. The crew will go home as scheduled and maintain their schedule. The aircraft will be back in rotation with minimal delay to anyone. The passengers will have mixed outcomes. Some to their final destination early, some with at most a 24 hour delay.

It may not be cheap to ferry back, but having the aircraft and crew back to base is easier to minimize the disruption. **Cough cough Southwest***

@ JJH
By Observer on Wednesday, Dec 28th 2022 17:38Z

As outlined in the report and comments, the plane subject of the diversion flew ferry to FRA. That can only mean that ALL passengers ha=e been rebooked on other flights. Maybe even direct flightsto their final destination, should it not be FRA?
I was once in DSS on a LH cancelled flight to FRA. But my final destination was MXP.
I was rerouted to MXP via IST on TK. At the end of the day, I landed in MXP just 3-4 hrs original schedule. Can't complain much.
It's always important to "negotiate" a bit at the transit counter, agreeing on an option suitable to both the airline and the passenger.
"Plenty" of flights to Europe from ORD every evening. (Relatively) easy to accommodate passengers on different suitable destinations. Despite the holiday period, to be taken into account, of course.

@Nelson
By JJH on Wednesday, Dec 28th 2022 11:15Z

Probably some were rebooked to their final destinations. The rest to continue after the brief stop at O'Hare to Frankfurt, Lufthansa's big hub.

CA to YUL
By Ksa63 on Wednesday, Dec 28th 2022 04:40Z

@DRC

Yes, Air China flew to Montreal. I flew it 4 or 5 times from Singapore thru Beijing. This was pre-Covid. I don�t know if they are currently flying the route. One interesting thing is that several times a week the CA plane would do a Montreal Havana leg as well.

@Ksa63 ..... Really?
By DRC on Wednesday, Dec 28th 2022 04:05Z

Don't think Air China flies or flew to YUL. When I went to PEK around that time all was through YVR.

Fire on board
By Ksa63 on Wednesday, Dec 28th 2022 03:25Z

In December 2019 I was on an Air China flight from Beijing to YUL. Probably 4 hours or so into the flight we were awakened by a commotion in the business cabin - a battery charger had gotten crushed in a business class seat and ignited. There were flames and a lot of smoke in the forward cabin. The cabin crew quickly put out the fire and dismantled the seat to check that it was completely extinguished. It was incredible how fast the front cabin filled with smoke. The flight continued to YUL and I doubt passengers in the back of the plane had any idea what had happened. I was having nightmares thinking of Mayday episodes for a couple of hours after that.

@Nelson
By thedude on Tuesday, Dec 27th 2022 22:13Z

Possible cabin damage due to fire, equipment used, etc. I might be more expensive to use contract maintenance to fix and replenish aircraft than to just ferry empty.

Rebooking
By Nelson on Tuesday, Dec 27th 2022 21:04Z

Wow, passengers rebooked onto other flights...
I believe after those 4 hours at Chicago the Crew went out of duty but wasn't it cheaper to accomodate those people for let's say 24hrs and sending in a new Crew? I believe there are several flights out of Germany to Chicago daily.

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