Holiday-makers could be seen falling over each other in a bid to get away from the aircraft as quickly as they could after the inflatable slide was activated.

The drama happened around 5.30pm this afternoon at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport as the packed plane prepared to take off for Ibiza.

No-one needed medical attention although some passengers are said to have suffered slight burns as they slid down the emergency chute.

Footage taken by onlookers and other passengers who had already left the aircraft showed the moments of tension sparked by the plane filling up with smoke.

Travellers were taken to the airport’s Terminal One while they waited to board another plane and their luggage transferred to the new flight.

Firefighters were not called upon to deal with the incident.

The unnamed passenger whose mobile caught light is said to be from New Zealand. The device is thought to have been in a suitcase in the hold above his seat.

A spokesman for Ryanair Spain said: “The passengers of a flight from Barcelona to Ibiza were evacuated in an emergency at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport because of a fire in a mobile phone that was being charged with an external battery.

“All the passengers were evacuated from the aircraft in a safe way to the terminal and the cabin crew took charge of the device.

“Ryanair is working to organise a replacement plane to re-accommodate the passengers as fast as possible.”

One relieved passenger said: “Luckily it didn’t happen when we were already on the runway.

“We were just over 100 feet (30 metres) away from the docking bay when the device exploded and smoke began to come out.