A Southwest Airlines flight from Baltimore to Tampa was forced to divert to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Thursday after a passenger's battery charger overheated and began smoking. The incident occurred just one day after Southwest implemented new safety policies regarding portable charging devices.

According to a statement from Southwest, flight attendants quickly followed procedures to contain the smoking device in a special containment bag. The captain then made the decision to divert to the nearest suitable airport out of an abundance of caution.

The flight landed safely in Myrtle Beach and Southwest is investigating the incident. Passengers were able to continue on to Tampa on a replacement aircraft about five hours later.

This event highlights the importance of Southwest's newly introduced policy requiring passengers to keep portable chargers visible while in use, rather than stored in bags or overhead bins. The airline described it as a "first-in-industry safety policy" aimed at allowing for quicker intervention in case of device malfunctions.

The incident also underscores growing concerns in the aviation industry about the fire risks posed by lithium-ion batteries in portable electronic devices. The FAA has reported an increase in battery-related incidents on flights in recent years, from less than one per week in 2018 to about three every two weeks in 2024.

Southwest's proactive approach with its new charging device policy appears validated by this real-world incident occurring so soon after implementation. It demonstrates the ongoing challenges airlines face in balancing passenger convenience with critical safety considerations around evolving consumer technology.