Dear friends:

Anyone recently been to Bonaire and back can shed some light on how security handled the issue of carrying spare Li batteries? As you know, there are some new regulations by TSA on the carrying of spare lithium batteries.

Thank you

There is a LOT of confusion on this! Sorry for the long message.

The restriction is on lithium "primary" batteries (because of the lithium metal in them), not really the "rechargeable" lithium batteries like the ones in nearly all cameras, phones, and some lights. The restriction is on things in checked luggage, not carry-on. The restriction is on ones carried loose, not inside of devices.

There is the possibility that some of the lithium in the lithium-ion rechargeable batteries can convert to lithium metal, so there is a restriction on the total amount of lithium you can carry as spares.

The pictures illustrating the restrictions show really big batteries, like the ones for laptops that are the size of the laptop, and the big ones that are on the back end of pro video cameras.

The problem is that the press releases put out by TSA are not saying the same thing as the material they are based on! here is the actual statement of restrictions:
http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html


If you read some of the the press releases literally, you get to carry two spare lithium batteries of any kind, period. In fact, the TSA statement is about a two-battery restriction only of the batteries are between 8 and 25 gm each of lithium content. Those are BIG batteries! My largest laptop battery (8.8 Ah) is less than 8 gm lithium metal equivalent!

The bottom line is: the kinds of lithium batteries we tend to carry around are OK, especially if they are rechargeable. To avoid confrontation, keep them in the devices or in proper storage cases, not loose. If they are not in the devices, then keep them in carry-on luggage.

The problem is, TSA will not know this for a while, because they have to learn their own rules and this doesn't happen overnight.

I just went through TSA twice last week (at DCA and MCO) with lithium batteries in devices and as spares. No signs at TSA, no questions, no discussion. Maybe they hadn't gotten the word yet.

Another problem is leaving Bonaire, where they demand you take all batteries out of all devices. I have a dive light that uses rechargeable lithium batteries (CR123A), and I carry spares. So I've purchased a very fancy little case to carry the CR123A's in, hoping that I can walk the fine line between Bonaire security and TSA.

this has also been discussed last week

http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/29/344053.html?1199495655

The link given above does not answer my question. It discusses the TSA regulation. I asked if anyone has travelled and experienced first hand how it was handled. I think I may have to ask this question in about 2-3 weeks.

Fine, then why don't you tell us after you've had the experience? Isn't it kind of strange to ask on Jan 6 if anyone has been to Bonaire and back since Jan 1?

The point is, this is an evolving issue...what happened this last week will probably not be the same "in about 2-3 weeks."

Hope it goes well for you.

My goodness!