There’s a reason you shouldn’t pick up your dropped phone during a flight (Image: Getty Images)
A cabin crew member has disclosed the unsettling reason why you should never retrieve your phone if it falls between the seats on a plane.
It’s easy to inadvertently drop your phone during a flight, whether that’s due to shifting your position, rising to use the lavatory or rummaging in your bag stowed beneath the seat in front. However, while it may seem instinctive to pick it up and carry on as usual, experts have cautioned that this could be hazardous.
If a mobile phone slips between the seats of an aircraft, it can become lodged in the seat’s mechanical component, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Consequently, if a seat is reclined or adjusted while the device is trapped, it could get crushed or damaged.
While it would be inconvenient for passengers if their phones were damaged, there’s a risk that the lithium batteries inside could overheat. This could instigate a domino effect in which batteries heat rapidly, flammable gases are emitted, and the risk of fire escalates.
Flight attendants are familiar with the seats, so they will know how to retrieve your phone safely (Image: Getty Images)
That’s why, if you ever drop your phone between the seats of an aircraft, you should alert a cabin crew member as soon as possible. They are familiar with the plane’s seating layout, so they can recover the phone safely before it becomes a safety issue, reports the Mirror.
« Seats can vary between aircraft, and as part of this training, flight attendants are informed of the various operational intricacies of each seat that customers may not be aware of, and can safely help our customers out should their phone fall between seats, » an American Airlines representative told Afar.
« Damaged electronics are more susceptible to thermal runaway, so a dropped iPhone or Android is more likely to have a thermal event,” John Cox, CEO of aviation consulting firm Safety Operating Systems and a former pilot, also told the publication.
It’s crucial that cabin crew are notified of the dropped device, as if it begins to overheat or emit smoke, they can initiate the necessary onboard fire safety procedures to ensure the safety of all passengers. While you might believe it’s simple to retrieve your phone yourself, it’s certainly not worth the risk for you or anyone on board.
Requesting help from a flight attendant for a dropped phone also minimizes the risk of a passenger injuring themselves, potentially by trapping a finger.
If you drop your phone between the seats of a plane, you should tell a member of the cabin crew immediately (Image: Getty Images)
The danger of an overheated smartphone is the same reason why power banks, e-cigarettes and other electronic devices are not permitted in your checked bag. If they are in your hand luggage during the flight, they can be easily monitored in case of any safety concerns.
Alarmingly, there have been instances of devices igniting during flights. One such incident occurred on a flight from Denver to Houston in 2024, when a mobile phone ignited a seat, prompting the evacuation of all 108 passengers while the plane was still at the gate.
Another episode occurred during a 2025 journey from Honolulu to Tokyo, when a passenger’s phone became lodged between the seats and began emitting a burning odour, prompting the pilot to execute an emergency landing at Haneda Airport. Earlier this year, a flight from Wichita to Seattle was forced to return to the airport after a passenger’s phone and portable battery pack caught fire.
In recent years, several airlines have prohibited passengers from carrying power banks on flights due to concerns that they could catch fire. Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, and most recently Emirates have all banned power banks on flights, while Cathay Pacific implemented a similar prohibition last April.
Now, certain airlines have begun restricting another common electronic device due to similar fire safety concerns. Taiwanese carriers EVA Air, UNI Air and Tigerair no longer allow Bluetooth earbuds, including Apple AirPods, to be stored in checked luggage.
American Airlines was approached for further comment.
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