Narrative:

Approximately half-way through the boarding process for flight XXXX; ZZZ- ZZZ1; I was informed by the a flight attendant; a passenger had boarded and her cellphone (ped) had begun emitting smoke. Flight attendants had asked the passenger to surrender the ped/cellphone and opened a 'containment bag' and placed the ped inside. When flight attendant showed me the ped/cellphone in the containment bag; it looked like a normal cellphone in the off mode; no scorch marks; no visible damage; no electrical burning (acrid) smell and it was not emitting smoke at that time. Flight attendants informed me the passenger stated the ped/cellphone had been in contact with water while the passenger was in ZZZ. Flight attendants asked for further guidance on what procedures were required. I quickly referenced and checked my guidance (fom; ifom; ops binder; aom) and could find no guidance as to what procedures to take. I did not have the flight attendants review/check their manuals for further guidance and/or procedure(s). I did not attempt to contact dispatch or chief pilot in the operations center. We followed the guidance; which came with the containment bag and I instructed the flight attendants to continue to monitor the bag throughout the flight and notify me immediately; if the situation began to deteriorate. The return flight was uneventful.company ZZZ1 ops personnel retrieved the containment bag with ped/cellphone and cleared it through customs/immigration and I understand it was returned to its owner. I wrote up the used containment bag in the aircraft logbook and informed company ZZZ1 maintenance; it needed to be replaced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 flight crew reported a passenger's cell phone overheated emitting smoke was transported in containment bag. Flight crew further reported no procedures available regarding handling of containment bags.

Narrative: Approximately half-way through the boarding process for flight XXXX; ZZZ- ZZZ1; I was informed by the A Flight Attendant; a passenger had boarded and her cellphone (PED) had begun emitting smoke. Flight attendants had asked the passenger to surrender the PED/cellphone and opened a 'containment bag' and placed the PED inside. When Flight Attendant showed me the PED/cellphone in the containment bag; it looked like a normal cellphone in the OFF mode; no scorch marks; no visible damage; no electrical burning (acrid) smell and it was not emitting smoke at that time. Flight attendants informed me the passenger stated the PED/cellphone had been in contact with water while the Passenger was in ZZZ. Flight attendants asked for further guidance on what procedures were required. I quickly referenced and checked my guidance (FOM; IFOM; Ops Binder; AOM) and could find no guidance as to what procedures to take. I did not have the Flight Attendants review/check their manuals for further guidance and/or procedure(s). I did not attempt to contact Dispatch or Chief Pilot in the Operations Center. We followed the guidance; which came with the containment bag and I instructed the flight attendants to continue to monitor the bag throughout the flight and notify me immediately; if the situation began to deteriorate. The return flight was uneventful.Company ZZZ1 Ops Personnel retrieved the containment bag with PED/cellphone and cleared it through Customs/Immigration and I understand it was returned to its owner. I wrote up the used containment bag in the aircraft logbook and informed Company ZZZ1 Maintenance; it needed to be replaced.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.