Traveling with underwater flashlights

[vladimir]

A related article from BusinessWeek:

Pilots See Lithium Batteries as Airline Safety Risk - BusinessWeek

"Is there a potentially lethal hazard lurking in airplanes? The largest U.S. pilots’ union thinks so, and is asking federal regulators to ban bulk shipments of lithium-ion batteries in passenger and cargo jets, citing mounting “evidence of a clear and present danger.”

Note that, in this case, the concern is "bulk shipments." The article does make these recommendations to passengers:

-pack spare lithium batteries in your carry-on luggage, not in checked luggage
-keep them in their orginal packaging, or
-in individual plastic bags
-cover the contacts with electrical tape

 

[oldfindog]

I always pack my lights in my checked bag and carry on batts- on my last trip two weeks ago i was carrying a doz c-cells in a new box in my carryon and lit up the t.s.a,s they treated it like it was going to blow any second and i thought i was going to get the full meal deal (snap)LOL- never had it happen before and don,t know if i just hit a spooked agent but i may not carry again in my carry on

 

[Damselfish]

I think it's usually best to follow the rules, if you can figure out what the heck they are currently, rather than base what you do on whatever the last TSA agent did. Because no matter what the last agent said, the next agent can do something different anyway. If you're following the rules (and print them out) at least you have a leg to stand on.

 

[AbyssalPlains]

Never had any problems. Never bothered to take the batteries out, either. Most lights have a lock, so it's very unlikely for them to switch on accidentally just by sitting in a bag.