Fire alarm on Barcelona–Venice flight: Student who used e-cigarette faces fine of more than €2,000

A fire alarm suddenly went off on a Ryanair flight from Barcelona to Venice, causing panic among passengers. The cause turned out to be a Spanish student who had gone into the toilet to use an e-cigarette.

According to foreign media, the incident happened on Sunday morning, November 8. The student was travelling to Venice with his classmates on a school trip.

He had thought he could use the e-cigarette without being noticed, even though the ban was clearly posted on the toilet door. The vapour produced in the confined space was detected by sensors, triggering the fire alarm throughout the aircraft.

The alarm startled dozens of passengers, but the crew took only a few seconds to find its source. They confirmed there was no fire, technical problem or danger to passengers’ lives.

Although the student tried to deny what he had done, the captain requested police assistance after the plane landed normally at Venice’s Marco Polo Airport. The student was taken to the Border Police offices and could now face legal consequences.

He faces a fine of more than €2,000, a report to prosecutors, including juvenile prosecutors if he is under 18, and a ban from future Ryanair flights.

In Italy, Article 1231 of the Navigation Code prohibits smoking during flights, including both conventional and electronic cigarettes. Among the main risks is an onboard fire, which could be caused by burning ash or the lithium batteries in e-cigarettes.

Smoking can also affect air quality on the aircraft, where the air is continuously filtered and recirculated.