Passengers on a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Melbourne faced a tense moment this afternoon when a fire broke out inside the cabin as the aircraft prepared to land at Melbourne Airport after a PAN call was made to air traffic control
As a precaution, and following standard safety protocols, emergency services were placed on standby to respond immediately if the situation escalated.
A “pan” call is an official aviation emergency alert indicating a serious situation, but it signals a lower level of urgency compared with a “mayday” call, which is reserved for life-threatening emergencies.
The flight, VA328, was on its final approach when crew reported smoke in the cabin, with early reports suggesting the blaze was caused by a malfunctioning vape device.
At around 4:30 pm on Sunday, air traffic controllers placed several aircraft into holding patterns while airport emergency services scrambled to respond.
More than 17 emergency vehicles—including fire trucks, ambulances, and airport response units—were deployed in what has been described as one of the largest precautionary responses in recent memory.
According to sources, the flight crew acted quickly and decisively.
A missed approach was performed giving cabin crew the critical time needed to safely contain the device in a fire-proof bag. Their swift action prevented the situation from escalating and ensured the safety of all passengers on board.
Melbourne Airport confirmed that the aircraft landed safely at approximately 4:45 pm, where emergency crews were waiting on the tarmac. No injuries were reported, and all passengers disembarked safely.
The safety of our guests and crew is our highest priority, and we thank our crew for their swift response in containing the device,’ a Virgin spokeswoman said.
The incident follows recent changes by Virgin, Qantas, and Jetstar introducing stricter rules for power banks, after one ignited on a Virgin flight from Sydney to Hobart in July.
Cabin crew heard a hissing sound from an overhead locker about 10 minutes before landing, prompting the evacuation of nearby passengers. Flames were then spotted inside the locker, revealing a backpack on fire.
