Air travel with rechargeable batteries

[DanBMW]

How do you travel with your re-chargeable batteries? Do you pack them separately? Carry on or checked baggage? International flight?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

In my experience, rechargeable batteries must be in your carry-on. They are not to be in your checked bags.

 

[tursiops]

Loose ("spare") batteries must be in carry-on. Batteries installed in devices can be checked.
The concern is for Lithium Ion batteries, but specific airlines and security people and gate agents can have and apply their own, more restrictive rules.
You are almost always OK if all batteries, of any chemistry and installed in devices or not, are carried-on. But that can be too much carry-on weight, especially on small, international airlines.

 

[Larryjd1]

When I travel with my UWLD Cannister light, I also keep a copy of the "suitable for airline travel certification" letter inside a padded sleeve it travels in to avoid any disputes with security checks or in case my carry on ends up having to be checked.

 

[MarkA]

Loose ("spare") batteries must be in carry-on. Batteries installed in devices can be checked.
The concern is for Lithium Ion batteries, but specific airlines and security people and gate agents can have and apply their own, more restrictive rules.
You are almost always OK if all batteries, of any chemistry and installed in devices or not, are carried-on. But that can be too much carry-on weight, especially on small, international airlines.

This is what the IATA say about lithium batteries.

https://www.iata.org/contentassets/6fea26dd84d24b26a7a1fd5788561d6e/passenger-lithium-battery.pdf

 

[lermontov]

we are always asked to keep the terminals sealed eg tape the ends

 

[Searcaigh]

This is what the IATA say about lithium batteries.

https://www.iata.org/contentassets/6fea26dd84d24b26a7a1fd5788561d6e/passenger-lithium-battery.pdf

Thanks for posting this @MarkA

I might be carrying too many

Two strobes with four AA batteries in situ each plus 16 back ups
Two camera bodies with batteries in situ, plus four back ups
Two additional strobes with one battery in situ plus two back ups
Dive torch with battery in place with one back up
Two Sola focus lights - integrated non-removable batteries.

 

[Barmaglot]

I use plastic boxes to travel with an assortment of batteries (40xAA, a bunch of 18650s, some 26650s and 21700s) in my carryon; never had an issue.

 

[GF99/99]

I use plastic boxes to travel with an assortment of batteries (40xAA, a bunch of 18650s, some 26650s and 21700s) in my carryon; never had an issue.

I do the same as well. Also usually have large canister cave lights.

Never had any issues other then them wanting to read the labels on the bigger batteries or just the security asking what they are for. Usually just pull up some cave diving photos and then they are more interested in that then the batteries.

Also surprisingly TSA in the US gives me the least interest in lots of batteries in my carry on. It is actually very rare that they want to see them, I would say about 90% of the time I fly with in the US, TSA never even looks at all my batteries. But 1st stages they always want to see, and sometimes rebreather heads, but once they see them in person and you tell them its for scuba diving they have no issues.

However overseas about 99% of the them time security is very very interested in my batteries, mostly just the big canister light ones. Pretty much guaranteed they will want to look at them. I would say out of all 60+ countries I have traveled through China, Japan, and Korea are the strictest about batteries.

Thanks for posting this @MarkA

I might be carrying too many

Two strobes with four AA batteries in situ each plus 16 back ups
Two camera bodies with batteries in situ, plus four back ups
Two additional strobes with one battery in situ plus two back ups
Dive torch with battery in place with one back up
Two Sola focus lights - integrated non-removable batteries.

You should be fine, I would not worry about it. Those are all small batteries.

 

[Barmaglot]

However overseas about 99% of the them time security is very very interested in my batteries, mostly just the big canister light ones. Pretty much guaranteed they will want to look at them. I would say out of all 60+ countries I have traveled through China, Japan, and Korea are the strictest about batteries.

Every time I fly out of Bangkok, the security closely scrutinizes my Omni 20C+ powerbank, but pays zero attention to the rest of the batteries - much higher capacity overall - stacked in my bag. Go figure.