Watch out for your camera batteries while flying

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neb

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#288759 21-Jul-2021 15:17

Someone just pointed me to the CAA page detailing the changed requirements for flying with LiIon batteries:

You do not need approval of the airline for lithium batteries that do not exceed 100 Watthours [Wh] or 2 grams[g].

You can take a maximum of two spare lithium batteries [or power banks], that exceed 100Wh but not 160Wh [or 2g but not 8g] but only with your airline’s approval.

Unless they're worried about people carrying plutonium fuel pellets, and even then I'm not sure they have that energy density for given weight, they've made a mistake there. The AirNZ web page on batteries is a bit less confusing, referring to the weight of the lithium content, but since there's no way to tell what that is unless the security person is enough of a geek to know the rule of thumb "Ah * 0.3, in grams", your ability to bring spare batteries will be based on random chance.

I've emailed CAA asking them to update their page, and maybe AirNZ as well since virtually no-one will know how to deal with the lithium-content requirement.

neb

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#2747691 21-Jul-2021 15:23

The AirNZ page:

Response: No. The feedback button does nothing.

neb

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#2754397 3-Aug-2021 13:17

Finally got a reply from AirNZ, they were a bit backlogged due to the recent upsets in dealing with travel from Australia and whatnot. So the distinction is between rechargeable and nonrechargeable Li batteries:

Lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries are rechargeable. We rate their power in Watt hours (Wh). Your battery should show its power rating on its case. If the battery is built into the device, check the manufacturer's website if the information is not shown on the device.

Lithium metal batteries can't be recharged. We rate their power by their lithium content, in grams. The lithium content should be shown on your battery's case. You can also check the manufacturer's website or your user manual. Most everyday lithium metal batteries look like silver metal coins. They hold less than 2g of lithium.

So for any LiIon battery someone is carrying, the value to look at is the capacity in Wh, not the Li content.

frankv

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#2754413 3-Aug-2021 13:44

100Wh is pretty generous. That's a 20000mAh 5V powerbank. A good 18650 battery is only 3600mAh * 3.7V = 13.3Wh, so could take 7 of them without airline approval.

empacher48

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#2754423 3-Aug-2021 13:59

Also be mindful of the requirement for them to be stored appropriately in your hand luggage.

AVSEC will gladly remove any battery which they deem inappropriately stored and dispose of it.

For example, I carry AAA batteries for my torch I use at night when conducting a walk-around prior to departure. I had the spares removed as there was only two batteries in a four pack (I had used the other two in my torch) and they were removed and disposed as the package has been opened and therefore aren't appropriately stored.

I've seen many a spare laptop battery or camera battery be thrown into the bin as the contacts on the battery weren't covered. (Insulation tape to do that is fine).

Although it may seem draconian, having had a laptop battery in a bag short and then catch on fire during flight. The ability to do much about that is very, very limited. By the time we landed and evacuated the aircraft, Airport Fire entered the cabin and dealt with it. Their estimation was about 3 more minutes flying time and it would've been uncontrollable and a hull loss was inevitable.

An experience I don't want to ever repeat.