The lithium battery problem has hit Australia - fire on Domestic Flight

[offshore171]

You can’t take a brie cheese in cabin baggage internationally because it contravenes LAG rules.

Not because of the cheese itself, but rather certain types of explosive material can be made to look like soft cheese.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Not because of the cheese itself, but rather certain types of explosive material can be made to look like soft cheese.

And when it explodes de brie goes everywhere.

I’ll see myself out.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not because of the cheese itself, but rather certain types of explosive material can be made to look like soft cheese.

I completely get that. But it’s still ridiculous. It’s 2025, we should be able to test whether cheese is cheese, or explosives.

 

[Beano]

Not because of the cheese itself, but rather certain types of explosive material can be made to look like soft cheese.

That applies to any paste like material, e.g. foie gras, tomato paste, etc, baby food excepted.

Powders are in there too! (coffee, tea, drinking chocolate. etc)

 

[Q Class Plebeian]

How is a powerbank not essential? Think about how hard it is to find somewhere to recharge a phone in many airports.

My current phone can last 2-3 days, while at home, without a charge. While travelling, with increased use of GPS, maps etc, it's lucky to get through 8 hours without needing a charge. On holiday, it isn't uncommon to be out and about for 12 hours.
My prior phone couldn't even get through an entire day at home with needing to be plugged in. It was lucky to get 4 hours out of a full charge when overseas.

Likewise my phone battery gives me 2 or 3 days with moderate use .I have a powerbank (it was a freebee) but never take on flights.

 

[Pushka]

Has this been reported elsewhere here?

Exploding battery burns man and forces evacuation at Aussie airport

Other travellers heard screaming as the man tried to remove the burning device from his pocket.

7news.com.au

 

[Beano]

Likewise my phone battery gives me 2 or 3 days with moderate use .I have a powerbank (it was a freebee) but never take on flights.

If your phone lasts 2-3 days I am sure you can recharge at your accommodation. That will give you another 2-3 days, and another, and another, etc etc! No need for a powerbank then.

 

[Pushka]

If your phone lasts 2-3 days I am sure you can recharge at your accommodation. That will give you another 2-3 days, and another, and another, etc etc! No need for a powerbank then.

If I'm on holidays I'm taking photos everywhere. Or using google maps. Uber. And so on. Have used power banks multiple times. Needed to. But think they will get banned.

 

[mviy]

I fly to London and flights to there arrive first thing in the morning well before check-in opens at hotels, and taking lots of photos my phone with a healthy battery it needs recharging from a power bank. Staying outdoors is recommended to acclimatise to the different Timezone during the day and power banks are very handy to keep devices powered up.

 

[mrsterryn]

If I'm on holidays I'm taking photos everywhere. Or using google maps. Uber. And so on. Have used power banks multiple times. Needed to. But think they will get banned.

Ditto here
I wonder if it will be , you just buy new power banks at the destination , though painful if doing a long trip. China has powerbanks all over the place that you can hire (?) and return, rather cheaply I believe .

 

[elanshin]

Ditto here
I wonder if it will be , you just buy new power banks at the destination , though painful if doing a long trip. China has powerbanks all over the place that you can hire (?) and return, rather cheaply I believe .

Asia in general.

But i suspect its this exact business that's causing the problem in the first place. You're not going to be building rental portable batteries to the highest quality...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I fly to London and flights to there arrive first thing in the morning well before check-in opens at hotels, and taking lots of photos my phone with a healthy battery it needs recharging from a power bank. Staying outdoors is recommended to acclimatise to the different Timezone during the day and power banks are very handy to keep devices powered up.

Yes…. but that goes back to what’s essential.

A phone itself is essential… arrivals forms, communication, payment and tickets.

Taking photos, social media, and media in general are not ‘essential’ in the context of aircraft safety.

 

[elanshin]

Yes…. but that goes back to what’s essential.

A phone itself is essential… arrivals forms, communication, payment and tickets.

Taking photos, social media, and media in general are not ‘essential’ in the context of aircraft safety.

I await the day they need to shoot commerical things on a plane and they can't take camera batteries on. Those are Li-on too and highly specific for each camera brand.

 

[Pushka]

I await the day they need to shoot commerical things on a plane and they can't take camera batteries on. Those are Li-on too and highly specific for each camera brand.

But they aren't the things catching fire.

 

[elanshin]

But they aren't the things catching fire.

"Battery" > "lithium" are going to be the key words being used if any ban happens. Both of which this fits.

Realistically I can say that most reputable branded battery banks aren't going up in flames too and haven't for now a decade. Its really just the last few years where all the dodgy ones are making it into the market.

 

[Beano]

Phone batteries are probably OK because they are factory sealed now, and you would know soon enough if there is a problem. The issues have been with batteries and power banks in luggage. Also the quality of the power banks can be variable as well as any damage they may have sustained, which makes power banks suspicious!.

 

[Pushka]

"Battery" > "lithium" are going to be the key words being used if any ban happens. Both of which this fits.

Realistically I can say that most reputable branded battery banks aren't going up in flames too and haven't for now a decade. Its really just the last few years where all the dodgy ones are making it into the market.

I don't think they could ever ban cameras as that would be the implication. Then there's phones.

 

[elanshin]

I don't think they could ever ban cameras as that would be the implication. Then there's phones.

Sorry when i say camera I mean things that are a bit higher (dslrs mirrorless and those class). If you use them at all you have at least 1-2 spare battery minimum with you. But those are "battery" and "lithium" and "spare".

You already can't check those batteries in as it currently is. So photography tours/holidays and commercial photographers flying for work would all be stuck in a rut.

 

[Himeno]

I don't think they could ever ban cameras as that would be the implication. Then there's phones.

Given how security staff at airports are currently completely unable to correctly follow existing ban requirements and incorrectly claim things that are allowed are banned, any ban on any given type of battery is going to result in any type of battery being "banned" by security staff who are completely inept and unable to understand basic differences.

They could put in a ban on "Lithium batteries with more than 200Wh." and security staff will claim the ban applies to AAA alkaline batteries, Lithium batteries under 200Wh and any other battery they may come across. Which will then lead into them claiming phones, tablets and laptops are banned because they have batteries, in the same way that TSA bans things that don't have liquids because they think they have liquids.

 

[Beano]

Given how security staff at airports are currently completely unable to correctly follow existing ban requirements and incorrectly claim things that are allowed are banned, any ban on any given type of battery is going to result in any type of battery being "banned" by security staff who are completely inept and unable to understand basic differences.

They could put in a ban on "Lithium batteries with more than 200Wh." and security staff will claim the ban applies to AAA alkaline batteries, Lithium batteries under 200Wh and any other battery they may come across. Which will then lead into them claiming phones, tablets and laptops are banned because they have batteries, in the same way that TSA bans things that don't have liquids because they think they have liquids.

I regularly carry spare camera batteries on board and when I am challenged, which is rare, the only thing they are interested in is if the batteries have a cap. This is for Australia, but travelling recently to Dubai and Europe I experienced no problems.