A passenger suffered burns when a power bank overheated and ignited in his pocket at the premium airport lounge in the city's international terminal.
The event took place on the morning of Thursday, when the overheated electronic accessory ignited, resulting in burns to his leg and fingers and generating fumes within the lounge area.
Evacuation and Response
Roughly 150 people were evacuated from the airport facility for safety reasons. The affected passenger received initial treatment from paramedics on site before being taken to hospital for further assessment.
Authorities worked to restore the area and it has since reopened.
Carriers Strengthen Rules on Power Banks
Numerous carriers, including Qantas, have introduced stricter regulations regarding portable power sources, commonly used in personal electronics, to reduce the risk of fires onboard.
In recent months, a different carrier stated it was reviewing its rules for electronic devices after a comparable event on a domestic flight.
Shareholder Meeting Occurs with Lounge Incident
The lounge fire took place just a day before the airline's shareholder gathering, where executives faced shareholders.
Despite previous threats from investor groups to vote against the remuneration report due to a recent data breach, the dissent fell short of the required level for a "first strike".
A “first strike” is recorded when more than 25% of shareholder votes are against compensation plans, potentially lead to further consequences if it happens again.
Improved Employee Sentiment and Results
At the gathering, investors expressed positive views about the company's progress from earlier challenges.
An investor who had previously experienced disagreement with previous management praised the airline for focusing on staff morale and customer experience.
At present, the company's shares are trading at around $9.50 per share, much improved compared to earlier declines.
"Over the last couple of years … the airline has made significant progress."
