Qantas Premium Lounge Area Incident: Passenger Suffers Injuries After Portable Charger Catches Fire in His Pocket

A passenger was set on fire when a power bank overheated and ignited in his pocket at the Qantas business class lounge in Melbourne airport.

The event took place on Thursday morning, when the faulty electronic accessory caught fire, causing burns to his leg and fingers and generating fumes within the lounge area.

Evacuation and Actions Taken

Roughly 150 individuals had to leave from the airport facility for safety reasons. The affected passenger was given first aid from emergency responders at the location before being transported for medical care for additional evaluation.

Airport staff worked to clean the lounge and it has now resumed operations.

Airlines Tighten Rules on Power Banks

Numerous carriers, such as Qantas, have introduced stricter policies regarding lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in personal electronics, to minimize the risk of incidents during flights.

Earlier this year, another airline stated it was reviewing its battery policy after a comparable event on a flight within the country.

Shareholder Meeting Coincides with Lounge Incident

The airport incident took place just 24 hours prior to the carrier's annual general meeting, where executives faced shareholders.

Despite previous threats from shareholder associations to vote against the executive pay plans due to a recent data breach, the dissent did not reach the threshold for a "first strike".

A “first strike” is recorded when more than 25% of shareholder votes are opposed to compensation plans, which could lead to additional scrutiny if it happens again.

Improved Employee Sentiment and Results

At the meeting, shareholders voiced positive views about the company's progress from past reputational issues.

An investor who had in the past faced disagreement with previous management commended the company for focusing on employee well-being and customer experience.

At present, the airline's stock are trading at around $9.50 per share, significantly higher compared to earlier declines.

"Over the last couple of years … the airline has come a long way."