Flying to the US? Watch your lithium

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 2nd January 2008
Comments (14) Stumble
The DOT has kindly produced a 'Quick Action Guide' explaining the rules in idiot-friendly language.

The DOT has kindly produced a 'Quick Action Guide' explaining the rules in idiot-friendly language.

The US Department of Transport has created a new set of rules that prevent air travellers from carrying batteries based on lithium-containing technologies in the hold.

The rules, created by the Department as a response to one-too-many news stories about exploding laptop batteries, allow you to carry a small number of spare batteries in your hand luggage but not to have any checked into the cargo hold.

The rules are, as seems to be standard for airline regulations, somewhat oblique: you can carry batteries with up to eight grams of “equivalent lithium content” per battery so long as you don't exceed two spare batteries with an “aggregate equivalent lithium content” of 25 grams. If the battery is a straight lithium type (as used in some digital cameras) rather than lithium-ion or lithium-polymer, you're limited to two grams of lithium per battery.

To put it another way, don't carry more than two spare laptop batteries. Why the DOT couldn't have just said that in the first place we'll never know.

Another interesting addition to the rules for taking gadgets with you when you travel is a recommendation that you “by taping the activation switch in the “off” position” to “ensure that devices remain switched off.” While this seems a bit extreme, especially in carry-on baggage where you don't need to empty half the hold to find a digital camera that's beeping, it's certainly good advice to make sure that they stay off if only so you don't arrive at your destination with dead batteries.

The rules came into effect on the 1st January this year. There's no news yet of any other countries introducing similar restrictions. If you're really worried, the DOT has thoughtfully provided a printable 'Quick Action Guide'.

A sensible precaution, or has the whole 'exploding battery' thing been blown (ho-ho) out of all proportion? Let us know your thoughts, especially if you're a gadget-hungry traveller who's been caught out by the new rules, via the forums.
Quote CanadianViking 2nd January 2008, 11:22
Seems a little bit like paranoia, no?
Quote Arkanrais 2nd January 2008, 11:39
Damnit, is it me or are they trying to give people reasons not to fly. IT'S A CONSPIRACY!

</tinfoil hat>
Quote iwog 2nd January 2008, 11:43
Quote:
Originally Posted by CanadianViking
Seems a little bit like paranoia, no?

That seems to be the American governments stance on most thing though.
Quote CanadianViking 2nd January 2008, 12:14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arkanrais
</tinfoil hat>

Don't take it off, that'll give the man a chance to get you!
Quote CanadianViking 2nd January 2008, 12:15
Quote:
Originally Posted by iwog
That seems to be the American governments stance on most thing though.

Valid point. :)
Quote DXR_13KE 2nd January 2008, 14:05
this remembers me of the liquid paranoia.... do they still prohibit the transport of liquids with you on the plane? i hate it when people run around like headless chickens screaming that the sky is falling when they hear about something exploding somewhere and then ban its transport everywhere...... NEWS FLASH, this just in, JET FUEL EXPLODES!!!!!!! US Department of Transport have prohibited its transport in planes.
Quote walle 2nd January 2008, 14:24
Nothing else to be expected when those in power have set them selves out to create a police state, same thing is going on over here.
Quote Jipa 2nd January 2008, 15:05
Ridiculous. I already thought things got out of hands with the liquids, and now this... I do have gadgets with me when I'm travelling (lotsa camera batteries) and I had enough problems in Heathrow last summer getting to the plane with all the stuff (Hmm do I want to put a 1,4 k€ laptop or 2 k€ worth of camera equipments to the cargo, let's see...).

Flying is already hard enough with the two-hour waitings, please stop making it any harder.
Quote chrisb2e9 2nd January 2008, 15:09
I can see this as a concern for safety, considering that there is a chance that an exploding battery could cause a fire. in theory. In real life its like cell phones, you can use them, I use mine all the time. The pilots who fly me around hate it because they get interference in their headsets. I didn't believe it until I sat up front one day. I was sending text messages with my phone and every time it sent or received one i could hear it in the headset.
it does get annoying. I cant imagine a plane with 200 people using their phones. the pilots would go nuts listening to all that interference.

So in the end its not something that is really necessary, but would you like to be on a plane thats on fire because someone had a battery explode? its a risk vs consequences thing, low risk, but massive consequences.

honestly i'd be more concerned about some nutjob terrorist taking the junk ot of a battery and filling it with tnt.
Quote supertoad 2nd January 2008, 15:49
lithium-metal batteries, not lithium-ion. your gadgets should be fine.
Quote rhuitron 2nd January 2008, 16:13
Thanks Megalomaniac, paranoid, American DOT.

You've shown us again how very astute you are. :(

Now, I don't have to worry about a laptop battery exploding or catching fire in the BOTTOM of the plane.
NO! Now I have to worry about the ****ing thing exploding or catching fire in MY FACE.

And I am really loving the "things to Remember" section!

"Purchase your laptop Batteries from a RELIABLE SOURCE"
DAMN! That Chinese drug selling whore is no long a good option for my batteries?

"Avoid Dropping laptop computers or Other Devices"
Thanks Eagle Eyes. You really nailed it this time. I am so stupid, I always forget not to drop my laptop.



Thanks
What would I do without you guys?? :(
Quote OleJ 3rd January 2008, 22:53
Hasn't this one already been debunked?
It only concerns lithium-metal batteries as supertoad said. The rest is rumor mill.
http://gizmodo.com/338676/rumor-smashed-the-faa-isnt-banning-laptop-batteries
Quote The_Beast 4th January 2008, 22:23
I rarely fly anywhere so I could care less
Quote morris8809 6th January 2008, 23:07
well personally i see where they are coming from. I fly model aircraft here in the us and i have seen the dangers of using lithium batteries of any type. esp lithium polymer batteries. here back in like 2006 a ups plane had to make a emergency landing because a container of lithium batteries either blew up or just caught fire and set the whole plane ablaze. people really do take for granted these lithium batteries and dont see how dangerous they can be.
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