Update me on the battery rules!

[northernone]

Oct. 16, 2018 TSA in the states followed by Cozumel security.

Carryon only:
8 loose NIMH AA
4 NIMH AA on charger
8 NIMH in dive light
3 LiPo Camera batteries (taped terminals)
6 loose LiPo 18650 batteries
Battery pack in can light 12 NIMH cells
1 SAFT in dive computer

No one blinked or minded. TSA pulled the bag for a search. No confiscation or warning.

The Mexico side didn't inspect my bag. Might be a thing of luck.

 

[gopbroek]

Oct. 16, 2018 TSA in the states followed by Cozumel security.

Carryon only:
8 loose NIMH AA
4 NIMH AA on charger
8 NIMH in dive light
3 LiPo Camera batteries (taped terminals)
6 loose LiPo 18650 batteries
Battery pack in can light 12 NIMH cells
1 SAFT in dive computer

No one blinked or minded. TSA pulled the bag for a search. No confiscation or warning.

The Mexico side didn't inspect my bag. Might be a thing of luck.

Just to clarify you had loose batteries in your carry-on going through security to board a flight leaving Cozumel? If so congratulations on making it through. I have seen a lot of loose batteries confiscated by security there reguardless of type. The screening security there is a third party contractor (as are the ground handlers and most, if not all, of the international flights counter staff) and will usually follow the rules verbatim with no deviation allowed.

 

[ggunn]

Just to clarify you had loose batteries in your carry-on going through security to board a flight leaving Cozumel? If so congratulations on making it through. I have seen a lot of loose batteries confiscated by security there reguardless of type. The screening security there is a third party contractor (as are the ground handlers and most, if not all, of the international flights counter staff) and will usually follow the rules verbatim with no deviation allowed.

But the rules have changed. The airlines (United, at least) now require that extra batteries be in carry-on. The rule change (for United) happened sometime between my May 2017 and April 2018 trips.

 

[gopbroek]

But the rules have changed. The airlines (United, at least) now require that extra batteries be in carry-on. The rule change (for United) happened sometime between my May 2017 and April 2018 trips.

Which direction? On US soil US rules are in effect, in a foreign country the rules of that nation are in effect. The individual air carrier, foreign or domestic, have no real control over screening of carry on baggage. Access rules for your person and any carry on luggage into the 'secure area' (boarding lounge and ultimately into the aircraft cabin) is regulated by the government where you board.
The US has taken the position that they would rather have the batteries (Lithium in particular) in the cabin so that in the event they cook off in flight there is a chance the fire can be controlled. American (and I suspect the other legacy carriers) have installed heavy containment systems to (hopefully) isolate and contain a high intensity metal battery fire. Mexico took a different approach in that they seem to not want a potential terrorist to have access to materials that could be turned into an incendiary device. Not saying which path is correct but I can say they are government rules.

 

[ggunn]

Which direction? On US soil US rules are in effect, in a foreign country the rules of that nation are in effect. The individual air carrier, foreign or domestic, have no real control over screening of carry on baggage. Access rules for your person and any carry on luggage into the 'secure area' (boarding lounge and ultimately into the aircraft cabin) is regulated by the government where you board.

True enough, but this past April when I was leaving Cozumel, the agent at check in told me that all spare batteries now go in carry-on. She assured me that the personnel at the gate screening were aware of the change, and sure enough, I had no problem with my spares.

 

[SEMO Scuba]

I was in Coz in March. I asked at the airline check in counter at the Coz airport about batteries. They told me batteries are supposed to be in checked luggage. After we landed in the states and claimed our luggage, we moved the batteries to our carry on bags for the remaining flight home.

 

[ReefHound]

Isn't it just silly that we still have to have these threads and still get various experiences? I can think of no other destination that this is such an ongoing issue. Do divers who visit Bonaire or Belize or Caymans have to deal with battery roulette? Mexico should be embarassed as they are acting like a Third World country that can't decide on a set of rules, publish them, and enforce them consistently. Most of us don't give a flip what the rules are - checked or carry-on - just let us know and abide by it.

 

[ggunn]

I was in Coz in March. I asked at the airline check in counter at the Coz airport about batteries. They told me batteries are supposed to be in checked luggage. After we landed in the states and claimed our luggage, we moved the batteries to our carry on bags for the remaining flight home.

Apparently that's about when the rule changed. When I was there in mid April the United personnel told me that spare batteries go in carry-on and that's what was enforced at gate security.

 

[ggunn]

Isn't it just silly that we still have to have these threads and still get various experiences? I can think of no other destination that this is such an ongoing issue. Do divers who visit Bonaire or Belize or Caymans have to deal with battery roulette? Mexico should be embarassed as they are acting like a Third World country that can't decide on a set of rules, publish them, and enforce them consistently. Most of us don't give a flip what the rules are - checked or carry-on - just let us know and abide by it.

It looks to me that the root cause of all this is that the Mexican authorities and the airlines do not agree on what the policy should be.

 

[flymolo]

Isn't it just silly that we still have to have these threads and still get various experiences? I can think of no other destination that this is such an ongoing issue. Do divers who visit Bonaire or Belize or Caymans have to deal with battery roulette? Mexico should be embarassed as they are acting like a Third World country that can't decide on a set of rules, publish them, and enforce them consistently. Most of us don't give a flip what the rules are - checked or carry-on - just let us know and abide by it.

I am surprised by this- I always carry my batteries on (li-ions and aa, c-cells) and never have problems. I've had far more issues leaving the US which prompted me to start carrying around documentation for my canister light battery. All others go in a small otterbox, no issues with those ever.