Cellphone fire reported on British Airways flight before landing at Las Vegas airport

A cellphone caught fire on a British Airways flight from London to Las Vegas on Monday, the airline said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said British Airways Flight 271 landed safely at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas after the crew reported a cellphone fire on board. The pilot can be heard on air traffic control audio saying the mobile phone fire “scorched the inside of the cabin,” but that it was under control.

The Las Vegas airport confirmed the pilot called an alert, but a British Airways spokesperson told CBS News the aircraft arrived as scheduled and did not declare an emergency.

It was unclear what type of cellphone caused the fire. 

The FAA said it will investigate the incident.

Electronic devices like cellphones, laptops, and other portable rechargeable electronic devices carry fire risk due to lithium batteries, which can short circuit. Passengers can only carry certain lithium batteries on planes and cannot check them into the cargo hold, according to FAA and airline regulations.

In April, American Airlines tightened restrictions on portable chargers that passengers can bring on flights.

Nearly 100 battery fire incidents occurred in 2025, mostly involving battery packs and vape devices, according to FAA data.