New Rules on Carrying Spare Laptop Batteries on U.S. Flights

The U.S. Department of Transportation has instituted new rulesfor carrying spare rechargeablebatteries on an airplane. Starting today, these must go in the traveler's carry-on baggage, not in their checked baggage.

Under the new rules,people can bring an unlimited number of spare batteries with up to 8 grams equivalent lithium content in carry-on baggage. All lithium ion batteries in cell phones are below this threshold, andnearly all laptopbatteries are below it, too.

In addition, travelers can carry two spare batteries with a totalequivalent lithium content of up to 25 grams. This allows people totransport items like extended batteries for laptops and professional A/V equipment.

Again, these rules apply to carry-on bags. The new rules forbid putting spare batteries in checked baggage under any circumstances.

Still, thesenew regulationsapply only to spare batteries. Travelers are allowed to put battery powered electronics in their checked baggage, as long as the battery is installed in the device. However, the DOT recommends that all electronics be transported in carry-on luggage whenever possible.

More information is available on safetravel.dot.gov

Via Smartphone Thoughts

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

Makes perfect sense to me. I mean, what if a spare battery shorted out during flight? At least if it were on carry-on luggage, someone could easily extinguish the flames.

 

Heh, well from what I have been reading it is a problem that they cant find a way to extinguish it.

 

Thanks for letting us all know.

 

I wonder what the exact reason is. The possibility of terrorists running recalled Sony batteries to the breaking/flaming/exploding point?

As long as you're not pouring an alcoholic drink on a fire during a ocean crossing flight, everyone shouled be fine.

 

What if someone mods his wristwatch so it will take a car battery's voltage or a laptop battery that is removable and then throw it in the checked baggage. You can say that it isn't a spare battery.

 

Anything with wires sticking out of it or exposing a lump of clay-like stuff is now a "bomb." Alarm clocks and blinking lights are also "bomb" characteristics. Modifying your watch to the extreme would be frowned upon by the feds, and you'd be surrounded by 20 stormtroopers if you brought such a thing to an airport.

 

Another reason to travel with your car whenever possible, but wait, the gas price is at $3/gal now.

 

If people really need to carry more than two batteries they may really need to consider buying a laptop with better battery life, or finding a way to cope without the laptop. Heh heh.

I just can't imagine people traveling with more than two laptop batteries.

 

My sentiments exactly You can easily get 5+ hours even on a mainstream sized notebook, if you just bring a bigger battery with you on the side.

I usually use my small 4-cell battery on my ThinkPad X61, but bring with me the 8-cell battery as an extra power source for the long international flights. That easily gives me a total of 8+ hours of productive time, which is definitely enough for my needs.

 

There is nothing stopping you from putting the battery in your checked bags. Aside from the quick explosives test they do, the majority of baggage is never checked again.

So while they may want you to not do this, they have no way of actually enforcing this rule.

 

Ahh.

My cousins just went to Rome today! I wonder if they're really enforcing it.

 

At least it's not like the no-water rule. Still haven't figured out how carry-on water is more dangerous than water you buy on the plane. I suppose you could have something dangerous in the water, but you could put the same thing on water you buy on the plane - and if you've gotten it past the initial security scan, they've got a problem whether you buy the water on the plane or beforehand.

Could argue that was for economical reasons, though - benefit the airline industry through higher beverage sales. Can't tie this one into economics so easily.

 

More often than not, when I fly, I get a piece of paper in my suitcase telling me the TSA has inspected it.

If you do this, there is a very real chance you'll lose your battery.

 

Water isn't the problem. I guess they think someone would be able to make something that looks like water but is actually explosive.

Still, I think that one demonstrates the height of government stupidity. They need to display to the public a thorough proof that a bottle of liquid can be a real threat, or repeal that rule immediately.

 

With my D630, I have a 9 cell and a 6 cell modular battery. Good for about 12-13 hours with WIFI off. Quite enough for the usual Asia-Europe flight.

Don't need to technically carry a "spare". Although I still have a spare 6 cell main battery.

 

wow, thats is cheap !!