JetBlue Flight Evacuated After Laptop Fire

More than 160 people, fresh from a stay in Barbados, were evacuated to the cold snowy asphalt at JFK on Saturday after what may have been a laptop fire. The…

More than 160 people, fresh from a stay in Barbados, were evacuated to the cold snowy asphalt at JFK on Saturday after what may have been a laptop fire. The aircraft was at terminal 5 when the cabin began filling with smoke from the rear. Slides were activated and the passengers and crew headed for the ramp about 9 p.m. A total of 167 people were evacuated and there were five minor injuries. It was 15 degrees with 35 MPH gusts at the time.

“On Saturday, JetBlue flight 662 with service from Bridgetown, Barbados (BGI) was evacuated shortly after landing at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) due to reports of a customer’s malfunctioning electronic device or battery,” company spokesperson Derek Dombrowski said in a statement to CNN. He said the NTSB and FAA are investigating.

Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.