soundrolling Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 I thought I would create a worldwide reference for governing bodies and some airlines on their stance with regards to lithium ion batteries. General Advice: Under 100Wh Lithium Battery Regulations Allowed in Carry On Baggage in Equipment or as Spares Allowed on your person No Airline Approval Needed Not allowed in Hold Luggage 100Wh – 160Wh Lithium Battery Regulations Allowed in Carry On Baggage in Equipment or as Spares Allowed on your personAirline Approval Needed Not allowed in Hold Luggage Over 160Wh = Forbidden!!! See the full article below http://soundrolling.com/soundblog/batteries-soundblog/lithium-ion-batteries-planes-lithium-battery-regulations/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimKarnes Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Excellent resource! i had my NP batteries as carry on for an Air France flight back to the states and batteries in their original boxes and still had a TSA hassle at the gate. the pilot had to "ok" me to fly with my 2 spares. Note. it helps to carry a printout of the regulations as they all looked clueless at the batteries and did not have the means to look them up at the gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Much appreciated, Matt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Thanks Matt I've been with a PM who dealt with batteries at security and was forced to send them back to the rental company in a taxi!! Very helpful at the start of a shoot. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundrolling Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Glad you all find it useful do let me know about specific airlines if there are very common ones for different countries that have a different procedure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCC Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Great advice to carry regulation. Just back from China- recovering from Carnet hell (lots of smiling nodding faces that took my carnet from me - and would not give back until I found a local broker who could get my information into the Chinese system, $400 later. Had to cross the border without my carnet in hand, but I did get a handshake and a happy "Welcome to China" from the agent. I kept all my lithium - disposable and NP in my carry-on. CATHAY PACIFIC stated no lithium allowed in cargo hold. Next time I'll carry the regulation with them - just in case I run into a confused TSA. Also, in the states I've always traveled with all my lithium batteries with my gear in the hold - does anybody else do this? My NP-L7S show 71Wh, and the camera op I travel with is sure it should go in carry on, even in US- guess he was always correct and I've just been a luckydick. I'll carry on from now on, I reckon. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 JCC: " Next time I'll carry the regulation with them. " as if the TSA (insert derogatory adjective here) would accept it, and I'd expect resistance from inernational "authorities" as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCC Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Right, Senator. Doubt my Chinese friends would give a hoot what my printed piece of paper would say... Still, they were friendly enough while being utterly intransigent (much like most bureaucrats everywhere, I suspect). Almost everyone I travel with puts batts in cargo in US- dionic 90's and LP's... Thinking US is lax in enforcement. Thinking lax or not, how bad would it suck if there was a fire in cargo.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 jcc: " how bad would it suck if there was a fire in cargo.... " you betcha' BTW, that has been mentioned in the current aviation mystery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codyman Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 I'm starting to think that it might be better to just ground ship batteries ahead of time if shooting stateside. With how some airlines seem to be misinformed on their own guidelines, coupled with the fact that no batteries would be quite the show stopper, I'd imagine talking to production and having them shipped to/from would be a nice insurance policy to make sure everything is there and ready when you need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVUrlacher Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 I'm starting to think that it might be better to just ground ship batteries ahead of time... I'd imagine talking to production and having them shipped to/from would be a nice insurance policy to make sure everything is there and ready when you need it. This. This has been my practice for the past couple years and no problems. Simple, with peace of mind. --au Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbiesodd Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Just yesterday, our crew was flying out from Charleston, WV when we were stopped at the gate by TSA and told that we checked "too many Lithium Ion batteries than allowed by law". The camera dept had to get their bags from under the plane and pull all the Dionics and wireless monitor bricks (Starlink, i believe). They left them with the local police dept and will arrange shipping them back to NYC. Luckily they made it back just before takeoff, or the plane would have left without them. Thankfully I always carry on my lithiums, so TSA wasn't concerned with me, but from now on I will also be carrying a printed copy of the TSA rules in case this happens again. Cheers, Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aristotle_kumpis Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 I travel several times a year with my gear. I pack everything into Pelican case, including my 4 NP-1 batteries and AA lithium batteries. Sometimes TSA will open the case, but they have never told me to remove the batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 AK: " they have never told me to remove the batteries. " maybe next time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Nault Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 +1 to carrying a printout of the regulations with you. Doing the correct thing - carrying your lithium-ion batteries on the plane with you - seems to sometimes draw more attention to you than the opposite. The regulations are fairly new, confusing, and difficult to explain to airport security staff who aren't really experts in battery capacity or technology. I even highlight the section about li-ion batteries less than 100Wh in printed regulations so I can easily point out which ones I have. AK: " they have never told me to remove the batteries. " maybe next time... Have been on shoots where this has happened... not only can you not travel with your batteries... you can't leave them anywhere to take your flight without them. Missed a flight because of it. R Excellent resource! i had my NP batteries as carry on for an Air France flight back to the states and batteries in their original boxes and still had a TSA hassle at the gate. the pilot had to "ok" me to fly with my 2 spares. Note. it helps to carry a printout of the regulations as they all looked clueless at the batteries and did not have the means to look them up at the gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Thomas Posted May 11, 2016 Report Share Posted May 11, 2016 I just had $850 of rechargeable lithium batteries confiscated by Dubai security. They had me go through security to get to my connecting flight and as you might know, lithium batts are not allowed in checked baggage, so I had them in my carry on like I always do. I made them bring over a supervisor and showed them on the Emirates website that they do allow them in carry ons. Twice they came around and decided it would be OK to take them but then ultimately decided to only allow me to take 10 throw away lithium AAs. I tried to negotiate to keep the most expensive ones (NP1s) instead but they wouldn't have it. Also, at the beginning of all this, they had a guy take my passport and boarding pass away to another room. They gave it back when I stopped fighting them about it. I recommend not flying through Dubai if you can avoid it. They don't have a clear policy. It probably depends on who is working security when you go through and you are at their mercy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al mcguire Posted May 11, 2016 Report Share Posted May 11, 2016 Production Expense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.