Delta Air Lines flight with nearly 200 aboard diverted to RSW after battery catches fire
"Flight attendants worked quickly to extinguish a probable burning personal battery belonging to a customer while pilots followed procedures to safely divert the flight," Samantha Facteau, spokesperson for Delta Air Lines, wrote in an emailed statement. "We appreciate the quick work and actions by our people to follow their training, and we apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels."
Facteau said Delta flight 1334 had 185 passengers and six crew members on board.
RSW flights: Frontier announces launch of new nonstop flight out of RSW in Fort Myers. What to know
The crew diverted to Fort Myers' RSW airport because of residual smoke from the extinguished personal device and declared an emergency out of an abundance of caution, Facteau said.
Facteau explained that officials continued to evaluate the aircraft.
Victoria Moreland, spokesperson for the Lee County Port Authority, said the flight landed in Fort Myers, 130 miles away from its destination, about 8:50 a.m.
"There was no impact to flight operations at RSW," Moreland said in an emailed statement.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Bluesky @tomasfrodriguez.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Delta Air Lines flight makes emergency landing at RSW
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Almost 5,000 US flights delayed, canceled amid severe weather in Northeast
Severe weather across the Northeast is canceling hundreds of flights Tuesday. The region is set to experience a cold front bringing scattered thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds from New York down to Richmond, according to the Weather Channel. Along with the storms, cities like Boston have also been issued heat advisories with temperatures expected to reach up to 100 degrees. Over 4,400 U.S. flights are delayed and more than 500 canceled as of 4:20 p.m. ET Tuesday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. New York's LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport are seeing the most cancellations and delays, followed by Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. Many U.S. carriers have waived change and cancellation fees for impacted travelers departing on Tuesday or Wednesday from Northeast cities such as Baltimore, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Here's what to should know if your flight is delayed or canceled. Weather waivers vary by airline and airport, and only apply to specific time windows, so be sure to check the details for your specific waiver below. American Airlines: Flights scheduled through July 8 Delta Air Lines: Flights scheduled through July 9 JetBlue Airways: Flights scheduled through July 8 Southwest Airlines: Flights scheduled through July 8 United Airlines: Flights scheduled through July 8 If your flight is canceled for any reason, you are entitled to a refund if you choose not to travel. When a flight is canceled for reasons within an airline's control, travelers who choose to stick it out are eligible for compensation or accommodations, like rebooking on another flight or airline at no added cost, lodging or meal vouchers, and other benefits. Weather is notably outside an airline's control. The Department of Transportation has created a dashboard for travelers to easily access information about services U.S. airlines provide in the case of controllable cancellations or delays. Click here to access the DOT Cancellation and Delay Dashboard. According to the DOT, a controllable cancellation or delay is one caused by the airline itself. Controllable reasons include maintenance or crew problems, cabin cleaning, baggage loading and fueling. Things like weather or air traffic control flow programs do not count against the airline. (Story continues below.) A DOT rule that went into effect in October requires airlines to refund passengers if their flight is significantly delayed for reasons within the carrier's control. It also makes airlines more responsible for following their own customer commitments in those cases. If your flight is delayed significantly for a reason within the airline's control, you are entitled to a refund if you choose not to travel. If you decide to stick it out, you may be entitled to some compensation or accommodation, including rebooking on another flight or airline at no cost, meal and lodging vouchers for qualifying delays, and other benefits if the delay was controllable. No U.S. airlines currently offer cash compensation for delays, but the big four (American, Delta, Southwest and United) all offer hotel and ground transportation vouchers for controllable overnight delays. Airline-specific details can be found on the DOT's dashboard. The DOT defines a significant delay as a departure or arrival that is three hours late or more for a domestic flight, or six hours late or more for an international flight. Look up your airline's policies and be your own advocate. Get in touch with the airline however you can, whether it's through the app, through social media, by phone or at the airport help desk if you're already on your way. It's good to have some alternative flights in mind when you speak to an agent, and be sure to ask for any accommodation or refunds you may be entitled to if you plan to take advantage of those policies. Contributing: Josh Rivera, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Northeast storms trigger airline waivers, widespread flight delays

Travel Weekly
6 hours ago
- Travel Weekly
Aztec Airways adds daily Fort Lauderdale-Abaco service
Aztec Airways launched daily service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport and Leonard M. Thompson Airport in Marsh Harbour on Abaco in the Bahamas. Aztec Airways operates from a private terminal at its base in Fort Lauderdale, offering flyers conveniences like free parking, no long TSA lines and quick boarding. Aztec said it will operate the route year-round and that it only changes flight frequencies during peak travel seasons based on demand. Currently, Aztec operates 9 a.m. departures from Fort Lauderdale and 10:30 a.m. departures from Marsh Harbour. On Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Aztec also operates a stop at Treasure Cay, approximately a 40-minute drive from Marsh Harbour. These flights also depart Fort Lauderdale at 9 a.m. and return by noon. Aztec offers scheduled flights to five major Out-Island destinations, with 10 total stops across the Bahamas. In addition to its scheduled service, it provides private charter flights throughout South Florida (e.g., Key West) and the Out-Islands (e.g., Grand Bahama).

Condé Nast Traveler
6 hours ago
- Condé Nast Traveler
TSA Plans to End Its Shoes-Off Policy
Soon, you might not have to take your shoes off at the airport. At several major airports across the country, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow passengers to cross through all security screening lanes without taking off their shoes, according to reporting from CBS News and The New York Times. Updates regarding the end of the shoes-off policy were first reported by the Gate Access Substack on July 4, but has not yet been officially confirmed by the TSA. However, reports suggest that the change appears to be a phased approach that will eventually roll out to all US airports. Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Portland International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and Piedmont Triad International Airport in North Carolina, are expected to be among the first hubs to enact the change, two sources close to the matter shared with CBS. Various news sources have also confirmed that recent passengers at other airports not included on the list such as Los Angeles International Airport and New York City's LaGuardia Airport did not have to take off their shoes to pass through security in recent days. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the news on X, writing that the retirement of the shoe removal policy nearly 20 years after its implementation was 'big news' from the Department of Homeland Security. The requirement for removing shoes originated in 2001, after Richard Reid, who later became known as the 'shoe bomber,' attempted to ignite explosives hidden in his shoes on a flight from Paris to Miami. The security measure was implemented five years later in 2006 due to 'intelligence pointing to a continuing threat' according to an official webpage on TSA history. As the shoe removal policy phases out, standard passengers will join travelers registered with TSA PreCheck who have long been able to keep their footwear on as they pass through security. In order to have PreCheck, applicants must submit an application which has an associated fee and undergo a background check. With security wait times often posing a major obstacle for time pressed travelers, the policy change may expedite standard security screenings—and the TSA's, 'shoes on, no service' rule may be another airport procedure of the past. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is scheduled to speak on the new TSA screening security policy at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on July 8. Condé Nast Traveler has reached out to TSA for comment. This is a developing story and will be updated with more information.