2013 Airline Baggage Regulations for Batteries?

[FrankPaulPerez]

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...fo/media/airline_passengers_and_batteries.pdf



Okay, I tried my hardest to do my due diligence before posting this: I searched these forums, I check the internet, and I asked friends who have traveled with their camera gear. I seem to get many different answers. I need a lawyer type to interpret the information from the above link that I found of the FAA site. I am shooting an indie feature film in Nepal for 21 days next month.

Question 1: Are two 100w batteries all I am allow to check-in or carry on (I don’t really care which option it is)?
Ouestion 2: Okay, if that is so. How do I get the larger batteries, i.e. 160w batteries to our shooting destination?

Thanks,

Frank in California

 

[Alvise Tedesco]

Here in Europe 2 160W (max) allowed for person. Individually packed (or just gaffer tape terminals)

 

[Marc Dunham]

I've been traveling with two 160w batteries in my carry on bag all year. Haven't had a problem other then them swabbing them for chemicals. This is in US, multiple cities.

 

[Herring]

It also depends on your airliner.
I have been travelling all around the world with 4 pcs Hawkwoods 175Wh Lithium batteries and had no troubles whatsoever.
Until I flew Quantas (Australia) and they forbid met to take the batteries. Even after discussions with the ranking people the forced me to have them sent in a special fireproof casing.
After thousands of miles of flying, this has been the only trouble until now.
As far as I know, the official rules for large (>90-100 Wh) Lithium batteries are: You can take a maximum of 2pcs with a total of 300Wh (25mg Lithium) and you can only transport them as carry-on.
Under 90-100 Wh there are no limitations and you can put them in check-in luggage. And yes they expect you to put a piece of gaffer tape over the terminals.

Have a good trip!
Joost van Herwijnen

 

[Jason Ano]

I tour with artists all the time. I've been flying around the US with three GlobalMedia Pro 160wh Batteries in my carry-on... no problem. I always get pulled over to the side by TSA to do a bag swap b/c of how heavy/dense all of my gear is in a backpack and each and every time they always let me through. I've been to at least 10 different airports so far this year.

 

[Daniel Stilling]

I travel almost once a week.
Batteries need to be transported in your carry on, unless they are installed in the equipment.
You can have as many as you like (or can fit in your carry on) bellow 100w/h
Over that wattage you can have 2 spares and 1 installed in your gear.
bear in mind those are FAA rules, internationally it could be different.

 

[Peter Stelzhammer]

people are on the right path here - I'd just join the crowd;

when traveling with more people (4-5 persons) we usually split 4-5x 90Wh - 3-4 persons are getting one battery for carry on, also we try to leave one battery on-camera (power chord unplugged!) as this is allowed most of the time -> this adds security in case anything happens at arrival (e.g. people with the batteries getting "lost" at the airport).

if we travel with smaller staff/groups (usually 3 persons) we carry less but more powerful batteries (160-190Wh depending on the airline/country rules).

worked fine until now -> EU to US and vice-versa and like inner-EU flights (e.g. london/paris/swiss...).

 

[FrankPaulPerez]

Thx for feedback. I bought the MGI pro battery kit.
Wish me luck in Nepal,

Frank in California

UDATE: I cancelled my order with MG!. Boy, they are jerks. After a week I still have not got my order. Today, I called and they said that can't ship out because they didn't get my PayPal money, but I went into my account and it was paid on the April 16. They are real jerk- beware. I had to go to PayPal resolution center and I am in the process of trying to get my money back.

 

[Les Dittert]

India made me unpack every lens and put them in separate trays for Xray. Weird. Didn't even notice two 160 whr batteries.
China only cared about the batteries, looked at them for 2 min and let them go ( as they should ) .

 

[John DeBoer]

It also depends on your airliner.
I have been travelling all around the world with 4 pcs Hawkwoods 175Wh Lithium batteries and had no troubles whatsoever.
Until I flew Quantas (Australia) and they forbid met to take the batteries. Even after discussions with the ranking people the forced me to have them sent in a special fireproof casing.
After thousands of miles of flying, this has been the only trouble until now.
As far as I know, the official rules for large (>90-100 Wh) Lithium batteries are: You can take a maximum of 2pcs with a total of 300Wh (25mg Lithium) and you can only transport them as carry-on.
Under 90-100 Wh there are no limitations and you can put them in check-in luggage. And yes they expect you to put a piece of gaffer tape over the terminals.

Have a good trip!
Joost van Herwijnen

So if you know the rules, why do you carry 4? The argument of no one stopped me is getting old. The rules are there for a reason......every client that leaves our shop leaves with data on our batteries, letters from the manufacturer and this detailed description, from fly safe. http://airsafe.com/issues/baggage/batteries.htm

If you were driving drunk, could you say to the officer I have done it many times and no one stopped me? Ignorance of the law is no excuse........I hope I never travel with the few crews who break these rules.

BTW, easiest way to get batteries for transport is SWIT splittable batteries.......(SWIT and SWITRONIC are two different companies, BTW). These batteries are 160wh, but split into two separate batteries for shipping. I have had literally hundreds of shows travel with upwards of 20 batteries (40 after being split) and they carry on. No lithium in the hold ever!

Be safe, not sorry.