A baggage-handling cart at Milan Malpensa International Airport caught fire due to a short circuit on Sunday, August 23, 2026. The fire occurred near a British Airways flight preparing to depart for London Heathrow International Airport. Firefighters extinguished the blaze rapidly, causing no injuries or delays to any flights. British Airways reported damage to a small number of checked bags and directly contacted affected customers to provide assistance while an investigation continues.
Severe thunderstorms and poor visibility at Milan Malpensa forced multiple incoming flights to divert to Rome Fiumicino Airport and Turin Airport. The weather conditions included low ceilings that
significantly limited visibility, resulting in temporary rerouting and delays. Airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet adjusted their operations to avoid Malpensa during the adverse weather.
Delta Air Lines canceled flight DL175, scheduled to depart Milan Malpensa for Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at 11:40 a.m. Central European Summer Time on Sunday. Additionally, Delta’s flight DL184 from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Milan experienced a maintenance-related delay Sunday evening. Delta stated there were no further operational disruptions affecting its Milan flights at the time.
In total, Milan Malpensa International Airport recorded 22 flight cancellations on Sunday, with easyJet accounting for the
majority. The airport also faced 140 delayed departing flights, representing 35% of its daily flight volume. Both Ryanair and easyJet were among the carriers that diverted flights due to the severe weather and related visibility challenges.
Travelers reported significant delays at Milan Malpensa during the weekend leading to Sunday’s disruptions. Before the storm and fire, security lines exceeded one hour, resulting in some flights departing under capacity. Passenger Paul Thompson described extended wait times at security and gate conflicts as some travelers struggled to board due to timing constraints.
British Airways confirmed the fire was caused by a short circuit
in the baggage-handling cart, not by any passenger luggage containing lithium batteries. The airline apologized to affected customers for the damage and reassured that flights remained unaffected. Delta added that aside from the DL184 maintenance delay, there were no broader disruptions on its Milan routes following the incidents.
