If you tend to travel with loose batteries in your luggage take note—-beginning January 1st the Transportation Department is banning lithium batteries from checked baggage.
The new mandate is designed to reduce the risk of fires. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, fire-protection systems in the cargo hold of passenger planes can’t put out fires sparked in lithium batteries. Which means loose lithium batteries can no longer be packed in checked bags.
You can still carry lithium batteries in your checked bags if they are installed in electronic devices, such as cameras, cellphones and laptop computers. Also, you can travel with batteries in your carry on bag provided they are placed in a sealed clear plastic bag.
“Doing something as simple as keeping a spare battery in its original retail packaging or a plastic zip-lock bag will prevent unintentional short-circuiting and fires,” according to Transportation administrators.
You should also know the Transportation Department has a two batteries per passenger rule.
The ban also affects shipments of non-rechargeable lithium batteries, such as those made by Energizer and Duracell.
The new rule comes on the heels of a report by the National Transportation Safety Board, which earlier this month said it could not rule out lithium batteries as the source of a cargo plane fire at Philadelphia International Airport last year.
BUMPING TRAGEDY
I’ve addressed the issue of bumping in numerous blogs, but this latest incident involving an Air France passenger bears mentioning.
According to news reports, the widow of a dead Air France passenger claims the airline’s decision to bump her husband led to his death because it “caused him to miss a life-saving dialysis treatment at home.” The man’s widow filed a lawsuit and is charging the airline with breach of contract, negligence and wrongful death.
In court documents the dead man’s wife says she and her husband had been booked on a Paris-to-San Francisco flight on Jan. 2, 2006, but when they arrived at the airport they were told that they had been bumped from their flight because it was oversold. The man was reportedly scheduled for dialysis treatment in San Francisco the following day, and court papers say that his wife “repeatedly advised” Air France agent about his need to make it to California for the treatment. According to news reports, airline representatives did not heed the warning and booked the couple on a flight the next day and the man died on the plane ride home.
Air France has yet to release a statement regarding the new lawsuit.
Related Articles:
Avoiding The Bummer Of Getting Bumped
Travel Tidbits: New Rules About Bumping and Reviewing Rules About Tire Pressure
Travel Tips to Help You Survive the Holiday Crush
How To Avoid Nasty Looks At Airport Security Screening Areas
Holiday Travel: Tips For a Smooth Flight
Can We Find A Way To Eliminate Liquid Restrictions On Airplanes?
The Benefits Of Advance Technology Airport X-Ray Machines
Airlines Lift Bans on Lighters and Breast Milk
A New Option For Those Traveling With Banned Liquids
Grandma Puts Baby Through Airport X-Ray Machine
The Secret Code That Gets You Screened