Batteries taken from my carry on bag when leaving Coz

[jlgeag]

Just flew out of the Cozumel airport yesterday. They held up my carry on bag that had my regulators/computers and lights. I had the batteries out of my lights in ziplocs. They said I could not have them in my carry on and took them. This is exactly the opposite of what TSA says: "Keep batteries and equipment with you, or in carry-on baggage - not in your checked baggage!" See http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/batteries.shtm I realize the Mexican authorities are not bound by what TSA says, but I have never been stopped for batteries before when flying domestically, or on the way to Cozumel this trip, and
I did not have any problem the last time I was there in February. Was this just an uninformed agent?

Anyone else have this problem?

Jeff

 

[Sue Sue]

Jeff, I do understand your frustration. I also do not understand the reasoning behind confiscating batteries that by logic and reason should be in carry on and NOT checked. However, as you said, Mexican authorities are not bound by TSA and therefore are able to make up the rules and enforce them as they want to. Below is a message that was recently sent to me from ddeborahdelamar to add to the "Arrival to Cozumel Airport " sticky.

FYI ALERT 6/12/2012 According to ddeborahdelamar, a resident of Cozumel, Volunteer & a member of the Consejo (Board of Directors) of Cruz Roja (Cozumel Red Cross) and a frequent Scubaboard contributor sent me the following note to share:

I've been working departures at the airport & have additional info for you:

At the departure security screening, they are confiscating loose batteries found in carryons -- used or new in sealed packs doesn't matter. Batteries installed in cameras, phones, laptops, and other electronic devices are OK.

The only option we have here is if we want to have the best chance to keep our batteries in our carry on luggage, we need to keep them in our devices and do not carry any extra batteries home. Leave the batteries with the dive op, hotel or expect that extras may be taken. Unfortunately, people are going to end up putting them in the checked luggage which as we understand is a fire hazard.

Also, just to say, Michael and I have not had a battery issue leaving....as of yet...and knock wood we do not...however, what is strange is that we were actually stopped and almost...had a airline approved plastic 6 pack AAA battery container taken as we ENTERED customs. Fortunately, someone who apparently was a local who spoke very fast Spanish stepped in on our behalf and smoothed the issue out. Don't know what she said, but it worked. Not that loosing a few AAA common batteries would have been a big deal, but ... golly... it just does not make sense.

Baseline, there is no logic to this, and yet, there is no way to reason it out. The entire process is not right, but, there is no choice but to comply or take a chance... Most importantly, Go, DIVE, Enjoy, and come home with Wonderful memories !! Sue

 

[dmoore19]

I thought it was only Lithium batteries that needed to go in carry on.

 

[ReefHound]

I thought it was only Lithium batteries that needed to go in carry on.

Not only that but the TSA ban only applies to *spare* lithium batteries. You can have lithium batteries installed in a device in checked bags. Which is kinda dumb since most all of the known cases of lithium batteries overheating and catching fire were installed in devices and not stored separately.

 

[Sue Sue]

I thought it was only Lithium batteries that needed to go in carry on.

.. says it all.....

 

[ggunn]

I have never had alkaline batteries confiscated upon leaving Cozumel, perhaps because although I take many batteries of different sizes when I go to Cozumel, I don't bring any of them back. I give all my leftovers to the dive op.

 

[dmoore19]

I have never had alkaline batteries confiscated upon leaving Cozumel, perhaps because although I take many batteries of different sizes when I go to Cozumel, I don't bring any of them back. I give all my leftovers to the dive op.

I have always done that in the past.

I recently bought some rechargeable AAs and the adapters to allow me to use them as a C or a D cell. I also have the case that fits 8 AAs for travel, I can understand the need for them not to be loose and the packs I bought solve that problem. Now I don't know if I should put them in my carry on or in my checked. I guess that's what I get for trying to be "Green".

 

[azscubadude]

I have never had alkaline batteries confiscated upon leaving Cozumel, perhaps because although I take many batteries of different sizes when I go to Cozumel, I don't bring any of them back. I give all my leftovers to the dive op.

Same here.. I leave em at the dive shop, especially Duracell's. L-Ion is a different story.

Since this was a big issue a few months ago in a separate thread I started putting my spare batteries (all, including L-Ion camera batteries) in my checked bags. I just make sure the contacts have a cap/cover on them or a piece of electrical tape so they don't touch.

Why not just buy the copper top batteries (the few you need) at Mega or Chedauri's. Now a days I can get by on a two week stay with 3-C cells, 4-AA cells and 4-AAA cells (and that includes my back up dive light). Everything else is OEM or button type Lithium. Buy the time you figure packing them, carrying them, hoping they don't get taken.. you can pay the extra cost on Cozumel. I've checked the prices of the Lithium replacements for dive computers and that is a different story, about 2 to 3 times the cost. Only in the case of an emergency will I buy them.

I've carried my OEM batteries in and out as recently as April of this year and have never been questioned.

Between TSA and the Mexican authorities they will never get it straight, why put up with the hassle.

 

[Darol]

Exact same thing happened to me a few months ago, so now I put all my dead batteries in my carry on.
Takem and enjoy.

 

[BUDMANOK]

leaving Curacao they made me take the batteries out of the strobes and put them in baggies. the agent also didn't understand what a underwater camera was (or acted like it)