A warning to those flying through Montreal

[S. starfish]

Over Christmas and new years I was off visiting family across the atlantic, on my way back home I had to switch flights in montreal. I had my can light with me and as I don't really trust the baggage handlers not to toss my bags around I had it in my carry on. I've been on several flights with it and never had any issues... until I went through security in montreal trudeau. Long story short I had the battery confiscated for the following BS reasons, and I quote:
-They would "not allow me to endanger the other passengers by bringing it on board"
-"It could react with other substances in the overhead bin and explode" (despite being sealed in the cannister)
-"If were a terrorist and I had some wires I could use the battery to short out controls in the cockpit"
In the end I argued with security and a nice representative from hazardous materials until 15 min before my flight was scheduled to depart, all of whom were shocked and appalled that I had been allowed to fly with my can light battery before and claimed that everybody who had let me through security before had not being ding their job and obviously didn't care for the well being of airline passengers. Pointing out the numerous lap tops that had gone by did not help my case and in fact seemed to make them angry. Laptop batteries are apparently OK because they're part of the laptop, which doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
SO bottom line - If you're planning on going through montral intl airport with a can light, watch out, their security is retarded.

 

[do it easy]

Sorry to hear that you lost your battery. I think the TSA just changed their guidelines about lithium batteries- it sounds like you were the victim of a knee jerk reaction from the Canadian security.

 

[The Chad]

What a drag. I would do everything in my power to make them buy you a new one....good luck there of course. The sad thing behind all this is the normal people suffer and continue to be taken advantage of. I can't wait for a government change

 

[miketsp]

..snip..

-"It could react with other substances in the overhead bin and explode" (despite being sealed in the cannister)

..snip..

Saying that something is "sealed" in a canister is not a good argument to use with airline security staff. Many explosives are not dangerous unless "sealed" in a pressure housing.
Pressure housings must fly unsealed. You should make of point of having the canister unlatched otherwise they will use the argument that a gas build-up could have explosive consequences.

Your best argument would be to compare the power rating of the canister battery with a lap top and point out that all lap-top batteries are quickly removable just by pushing one or two clips.
My DELL has one fixed battery of 5.5AH and the DVD/CD slot accepts a second unit of 6AH, so a total of 11.5AH
Your canister light probably uses a 9AH battery - or maybe even less.

I just checked the rules and in fact bringing the canister batter in carry-on would be your only allowed option.
See
Safe Travel

 

[Belmont]

I tried it both ways.

I left home with my battery in one of my checked luggage, I got it one day after I arrived at my destination, it hat been delayed for inspection.

On the way back I had to switch flights in Toronto. My light and battery pack were then in my carry on luggage. I went trough the same bs but was lucky this was my return trip and I mentioned I had already been trough their system on the way out. All I can say is that we are left to the whims of uneducated rentacops who make up regulations on the spot.

 

[Belmont]

Now, after travelling south of the border, the Carribean and Europe, I think every one should be informed this can happen everywhere, even vancouver.

 

[S. starfish]

Saying that something is "sealed" in a canister is not a good argument to use with airline security staff. Many explosives are not dangerous unless "sealed" in a pressure housing.
Pressure housings must fly unsealed. You should make of point of having the canister unlatched otherwise they will use the argument that a gas build-up could have explosive consequences.

Your best argument would be to compare the power rating of the canister battery with a lap top and point out that all lap-top batteries are quickly removable just by pushing one or two clips.
My DELL has one fixed battery of 5.5AH and the DVD/CD slot accepts a second unit of 6AH, so a total of 11.5AH
Your canister light probably uses a 9AH battery - or maybe even less.

I just checked the rules and in fact bringing the canister batter in carry-on would be your only allowed option.
See
Safe Travel

I thought of presenting an argument like that and did to a limited degree, but I was a little worried that they might start confiscating laptop batteries as well. They probably wouldn't have, but after having been traveling for nearly 24hrs already I wasn't firing on all cylinders so to speak. Still, you never know with these guys...

 

[almitywife]

best thing to do in future is troll the airlines terms and conditions and have a printout ready for the uneducated to read... baffle them with the legalities so to speak and they usually let you go thru has been my experience

oh, and smile & be nice

 

[The Chad]

With all the diffent options some of the can light makers have these days maybe they should have a "cattle prod" attachment to be used on TSA personel. That would give them something to cry about. I mean c'mon this terrorist thing has gone to far....whats going to happen when some clown walks into one of those huge sercurity lines before you get screened and detenates himself? Probally would be the same result as a plane minus the crashing part. Once again your tax dollars hard at work

 

[divingtigger]

From experience I have learned to keep them in the dark as much as possible. Don't tell anyone what is in your bags more than you absolutely have to. For the xray machine turn everything on while waiting in line and put it back into your bag with it on, then let the bag go through the machine. From my experience the ticket counter people are the worse for making a big deal out of stuff. I've almost left stuff in the storage locker and picked it up on my way to security just to avoid them. I was once told to take my reg out of my carry on because it might contain wires that I could use to strangle people, this was my own fault though because I told her it was in there when she asked about the contents