Travel reminder: Spare laptop batteries now verboten in checked bags

Um, the rules about lithium batteries are the result of a DOT decision regarding the ability of current on-craft fire-suppression systems to adequately deal with a fire if a large quantity of lithium is burning. They've had rules about lithium batteries as cargo for some time now, and are merely extending the safety considerations to checked and carry-on luggage.

Also note that hardly any laptop-wielding traveler will even be affected. Most likely affected are A/V professionals, or people who otherwise travel with *lots* of tech.

I'm afraid the blog entry has several key points wrong. At least Michael is trying - but the reality is that he's reading other (wrong) reporters rather than the actual facts.

Here are the two relevant government links:
http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html and
http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/batteries.shtm

The plastic bag reference is regarding putting loose batteries in checked baggage - nothing to do with carry-on. It actually doesn't have any plastic bag requirement at all, that's just one of the things you can do to stop any metal contact points from being exposed. They also suggest tape over the contacts, etc.

The 2 battery thing is also not entirely correct. It states "You can also bring up to two spare batteries with an aggregate equivalent lithium content of up to 25 grams, in addition to any batteries that fall below the 8-gram threshold." If I'm not mistaken MBP batteries are well below 8-grams so you can carry as many as you like as long as they are in your carry on bag.

Any way you look at it the whole thing is completely stupid since all of the requirements speak to the amount of lithium in a given battery. It should be interesting to see how the TSA responds when you ask them how much lithium is in a given battery... :)

If you want to be 'safety' conscious stick some electric tape over the contacts of all your batteries, put them in individual zip lock bags, label them with their individual lithium content and go read about OCD.

This is all probably stemming from some government bureaucrat being told to take more Lithium for their Manic-Depression.

:)

Boing!

This of course is only applicable to flights from, within or to the US of A. The rest of the World may sleep in peace. It would be nice, if someone writing this post would take in account that to the majority of World population TRAVELLING means a bit more than moving between two parts of a single country.

@ thethirdmoose. why terrorist thats who!!!!

Who carries more than 2 spare laptop batteries anyways?

The "liquid explosives" and such were ridiculous precautions becuase it was proven you couldnt make one strong enough without gallons of liquid. Lithium battieries exploding is something we have seen I really doesn't seem to be to much a stretch to be a called a danger to airplanes, especially if one ignited in the cargo hold and caught the plane on fire.

You know what, Michael you're right. Limiting when and where batteries can be carried is completely ridiculous. I mean, we all know that fires in cargo holds are cool! Especially when the plane is at about 30K feet.

Your an idiot. Take a few moments to research the cause of the ValueJet crash in Florida a few years. You know the one where most of the passengers were eaten by alligators . That too came down to a couple of folk who thought FAA rules about what should and should not be stored in the hold were 'ridiculous' and just a tad anal.

I quite carrying luggage on planes. The TSA steals stuff out of your bags, the crews toss your bags around without any regard, and no one will be responsible enough to take the blame. I always just FedEx my stuff now because the airlines are so pathetic.