Batteries taken from my carry on bag when leaving Coz

[mstevens]

Putting them in lights sounds dangerous to me.

Nah. I always have cardboard between batteries and contacts when I travel with batteries in devices. That means zero chance of accidental activation or shorts. It also means zero chance of running down or ruining the batteries, which is my main reason for doing this.

Don, you're a champion lugger of stuff. Many people travel light yet still need to carry batteries. If the bag-checkers at the airport are confiscating batteries that aren't in a device, then any batteries one wants to carry need to be in something. There are flashlights that are basically battery cases with a switch and bulb. Think of the switch and bulb as being just for decoration and the body of the flashlight as being a batter case.

 

[DandyDon]

There are flashlights that are basically battery cases with a switch and bulb. Think of the switch and bulb as being just for decoration and the body of the flashlight as being a batter case.

As long as they don't get turned on, or look funny on X-ray.

 

[jlgeag]

Thanks all, for the advice, and to Sue Sue for confirming that is indeed their policy to confiscate loose batteries.

Jeff

 

[dark rider]

We just got back from Coz. IIRC, there was a sign at the airport that said no more than 4 loose batteries in carry-ons, but I can tell you there was a whole bin full of batteries, so they must be pretty vigilant! I had an extra pair of NIMH AA rechargables loose in my camera bag (personal item :blinking. My camera equipment was also fully loaded with batteries, and I had four CR-123A lithium rechargables in a plastic case in my carry-on. They ran my camera bag twice, but didn't confiscate anything. Guess I should count myself lucky!

 

[octopuppy]

A couple of months ago one agent was taking all batteries even if they were in those plastic cases. Said they had to be in their devices for carry on. The person next to me at the same table no problem. The person down the table had all cosmetics taken even those under the size limit. nuts!

 

[DandyDon]

A couple of months ago one agent was taking all batteries even if they were in those plastic cases. Said they had to be in their devices for carry on.

Hence why I keep saying: pack them safely and hide them in your checked luggage.

The person next to me at the same table no problem.

Different security agent? Not that it should matter.

The person down the table had all cosmetics taken even those under the size limit. nuts!

Liquids & gels not inside a quart ziplock?

 

[Banon]

I returned from Cozumel on 8/10 and had my extra batteries confiscated at security. I had an unopened pack of 12 AAs that I keep for emergency backup, and 16 rechargeable AAs that my wife and I use in our UW strobes. (Plus installed and uninstalled LI batteries for cameras.)

They said all of the batteries had to be installed in devices to go through security. At first they only pulled out the unopened AAs (12 pack). So I loaded those into the strobes and went back through. That's when they found the 16 rechargeables in the plastic carry packs. I should have just let them steal the unopened AAs...

In the past, they took my wife's cosmetic tweezers. I am convinced they just see things they want that are "somewhat" close to the rules and confiscate them. New Duracells are expensive, so I can see that they'd want to take them.

There is no set rule, and they DEFINITELY do not advertise that they will confiscate batteries in any of those signs posted at check in.

Am I bitter? A bit... but the rechargeables were slightly over 2 years old anyway and had seen reasonable use, so I was starting to think about new ones anyway.

What get's me is the utter nonsense. Seriously, what could I do with the extra uninstalled batteries that I could NOT do with the 16 x AAs in various strobes and lights that they LET me carry on? Plus the LI camera batteries? Sheesh.

 

[DandyDon]

I returned from Cozumel on 8/10 and had my extra batteries confiscated at security. I had an unopened pack of 12 AAs that I keep for emergency backup, and 16 rechargeable AAs that my wife and I use in our UW strobes. (Plus installed and uninstalled LI batteries for cameras.)

They said all of the batteries had to be installed in devices to go through security. At first they only pulled out the unopened AAs (12 pack). So I loaded those into the strobes and went back through. That's when they found the 16 rechargeables in the plastic carry packs. I should have just let them steal the unopened AAs...

In the past, they took my wife's cosmetic tweezers. I am convinced they just see things they want that are "somewhat" close to the rules and confiscate them. New Duracells are expensive, so I can see that they'd want to take them.

There is no set rule, and they DEFINITELY do not advertise that they will confiscate batteries in any of those signs posted at check in.

Am I bitter? A bit... but the rechargeables were slightly over 2 years old anyway and had seen reasonable use, so I was starting to think about new ones anyway.

What get's me is the utter nonsense. Seriously, what could I do with the extra uninstalled batteries that I could NOT do with the 16 x AAs in various strobes and lights that they LET me carry on? Plus the LI camera batteries? Sheesh.

From your carry-on bags? I have seen security confiscate lights containing batteries from checked bags before, but it's been a few years. Even tho the TSA site says to keep batteries in carry-on, confiscation of those has been an ongoing problem in other countries for years, and now in Mexico for some time - and no, I have never seen a notice.

Tweezers are mentioned on a couple of signs I saw at passenger check-in a year or two ago....

 

[Belmont]

I count myself lucky, last January I was going trough Cancun airport and the agent wanted to confiscate my HID canister battery (worth over 200$).

I had been there more than 8 times before without problem.

I argued and asked to see his superior, he would not budge. Even if my arguments were convincing he could not lose face.

I even asked the airline station manager to plead on my behalf...nada.

It's the station manager who finally saved the day: he had the battery brought to my seat by an airline employee.

When in a banana republic you can't expect to comprehend what makes them tick but you have to know there are flaws and holes in their system and your best bet is to play their game.

Next time the battery will go in my checked luggage, but then they will probably have something else to confiscate, who knows.

 

[Ron Lee]

I wonder what happens to all those batteries.