flying with electronic equipment - easyjet

binaryknight · 27 Oct 2018 at 15:55

hi there im after a hopefully quick and definite answer as im tearing my hair out after contacting easyjet help multiple times and getting multiple answers

im flying to spain with easy jet, i have a p4 drone, laptop and gopro i wish to fly with me
i have a manfrotto d1 backpack which will house all the above just within cabin luggage restrictions

my understanding is that Li-ion batteries need to be kept in hand luggage

for the drone wish to take 3 batteries which are 82 wh each
the laptop has a 65wh battery
the gopro i have 3 x 4.9wh batteries

but issue im having is that some say max of 2 spare batteries in total,
some say one in device with 2 spare,
some say only 2 per device none kept in device
with one saying 2 in hand luggage and as many as you want in hold (pointed out that li-ions were not to be kept in hold at all but was still told this was fine)

why so much stuff ? i want the drone for some scenic stuff, the laptop to dump footage to and watch films etc if weather is bad / while traveling etc and the go pro for stuff like jet-skiing etc

any clarity appreciated!

Rroff · 27 Oct 2018 at 15:57

Isn't there a limit on 100wh max for spare and or stand alone power sources? even if that is multiples of smaller capacity. Which confusingly I don't think includes like a laptop so you could have a laptop + 100wh battery pack.

EDIT: Ignore you are fine taking multiples of upto 100wh.

It is all confusing and you are better off approaching the airline directly as in some cases they can even make arrangements - people flying with drones and cameras, etc. these days isn't uncommon.

Blinkz · 27 Oct 2018 at 15:59

The dangerous goods regs do indeed limit you to two spare batteries, but only the more powerful batts. It depends on the wh and the lithium content.

Have a look at the easyJet terms for what you can carry - https://www.easyjet.com/en/terms-and-conditions/dangerous-goods

Rroff · 27 Oct 2018 at 16:01

Blinkz said:
The dangerous goods regs do indeed limit you to two spare batteries.

From what I just looked up 100-160wh you are limited to two, under 100wh you can have upto 20. I thought you were limited to 100wh total for some reason got that wrong. I've usually just flown with 1x tablet, 1x powerbank just to avoid any problems.

binaryknight · 27 Oct 2018 at 16:04

Rroff said:
From what I just looked up 100-160wh you are limited to two, under 100wh you can have upto 20. I thought you were limited to 100wh total for some reason got that wrong. I've usually just flown with 1x tablet, 1x powerbank just to avoid any problems.

where do you see the 20 number if this is true that would mean i could take all my gear without issue, i have a nasty feeling its 2 batteries max though

Blinkz · 27 Oct 2018 at 16:08

It is the more powerful batts that are limited, but the lower power batts are also limited by lithium content. Just read the link above which is the easyJet rules.

Rroff · 27 Oct 2018 at 16:09

binaryknight said:
where do you see the 20 number if this is true that would mean i could take all my gear without issue, i have a nasty feeling its 2 batteries max though

Well 20 is the max under aviation safety guidelines - operators might have lower limits of their own but I can't find any for Easyjet that specifically limit <100wh batteries other than lead acid (non-spillable). Probably have to contact the airline really.

Blinkz · 27 Oct 2018 at 16:11

Also remember that all spare batteries need to have their contacts protected and cannot just be loose. Even taping up the contacts or putting them in individual bags will do.

binaryknight · 27 Oct 2018 at 16:12

Rroff said:
Well 20 is the max under aviation safety guidelines - operators might have lower limits of their own but I can't find any for Easyjet that specifically limit <100wh batteries other than lead acid (non-spillable). Probably have to contact the airline really.

sadly i have tried multiple people on the help chat all giving different answers
im wondering if the helpline is manned by similar people

binaryknight · 27 Oct 2018 at 16:13

Blinkz said:
Also remember that all spare batteries need to have their contacts protected and cannot just be loose. Even taping up the contacts or putting them in individual bags will do.

yeah i have electrical tape for this sitting right in front of me

Rroff · 27 Oct 2018 at 16:15

binaryknight said:
sadly i have tried multiple people on the help chat all giving different answers
im wondering if the helpline is manned by similar people

It is quite confusing - there are vastly different numbers talked about online as well with some people claiming Easyjet only allow 4 spares <100wh others claiming they've been stopped from taking more than two, etc. I wonder if their employees are just as clueless and just enforce 2 rather than try and work out what regulations a battery comes under.

I've never flown Easyjet but I've never yet had anyone take much of a look at the electronics stuff I've flown with in hand luggage - definitely never had anyone go through any batteries or the likes individually. Once or twice had to prove I can power on an electronic device and had some interest in liquids but that is it.

binaryknight · 27 Oct 2018 at 16:23

is a bit confusing to me first tick is cabin luggage second is hold

Lithium battery powered electronic devices

Click to expand...

Lithium ion batteries for portable (including medical) electronic devices,
a Wh rating exceeding 100 Wh but not exceeding 160 Wh. For portable medical electronic devices only,
lithium metal batteries with a lithium content exceeding 2 g but not exceeding 8 g.
✓✓

so im fine here, this appears to be the battery in the device

Spare Lithium batteries Lithium ion batteries for portable (including medical) electronic devices,
a Wh rating exceeding 100Wh but not exceeding 160 Wh. For portable medical electronic devices only,
lithium metal batteries with a lithium content exceeding 2 g but not exceeding 8 g.
Maximum of two spare batteries in carry-on baggage only. These batteries must be individually protected to prevent short circuits.

✓✗

again im fine here all are below 100wh, so i can have many? or is the limit still 2 ?

Portable electronic devices (including medical devices) containing lithium metal or lithium ion cells or batteries

Click to expand...

such as watches, calculating machines, cameras, cellular phones, laptop computers,
camcorders, etc., when carried by passengers or crew for personal use. Batteries must not exceed 2 g for lithium metal batteries and 100 Wh for lithium ion batteries.
✓✓

again this would seem to suggest i can have many batteries

All spare batteries, including lithium metal or lithium ion cells or batteries, for such portable electronic devices must be carried in carry-on baggage only. These batteries must be individually protected to prevent short circuit.
✓ ✗

again this is fine i will have them all in carry on

Portable electronic devices containing non-spillable batteries, must be 12 V or less and 100 Wh or less. A maximum of 2 spare batteries may be carried.
✓ ✓

does this supersede all the above ? so i can only have 2 batteries ? or is this purely in ref to lead acid sealed types ?

my head is melted!

Rroff · 27 Oct 2018 at 16:28

In theory non-spillable is a reference to leisure batteries and the like but the wording doesn't make it clear.

I get the feeling they don't care until there is a problem then they just enforce two rather than argue about it or try and work out what is and isn't within the guidelines.

1pudding1 · 27 Oct 2018 at 18:18

Here's the definitive from our manuals:-

Spare batteries for portable electronic devices containing lithium metal or lithium ion cells or batteries

a.
Carried by passengers or crew for personal use;

b.
Must be individually protected so as to prevent short circuits (by placement in original retail packaging or by otherwise insulating terminals, e.g. by taping over exposed terminals or placing each battery in a separate plastic bag or protective pouch);

c.
Each battery must not exceed the following:
- For lithium metal batteries, a lithium content of 2 grams; or
- For lithium ion batteries, a Watt-hour rating of 100 Wh; and
d.
Batteries and cells must be of a type which meets the requirements of each test in the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, subsection 38.3.

Spare batteries for portable electronic devices containing lithium ion batteriesexceeding a Watt-hour rating of 100 Wh but not exceeding 160 Wh

a.
Carried by passengers or crew for personal use;

b.
No more than two individually protected spare batteries per person;

c.
Must be individually protected so as to prevent short circuits (by placement in original retail packaging or by otherwise insulating terminals, e.g. by taping over exposed terminals or placing each battery in a separate plastic bag or protective pouch); and

d.
Batteries and cells must be of a type which meets the requirements of each test in the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, subsection 38.3.

Hope that helps

Russinating · 27 Oct 2018 at 18:43

I flew on all sorts of airlines whilst working, including easyJet, carrying two dozen Li-on batteries for all sorts of filming equipment and didn't get pulled up once.

paradigm · 27 Oct 2018 at 19:12

Never had any problems taking multiple (at least 4, could have been 5) LiPo battery packs on flights when travelling to the 1/12 indoor LMP12 Euros in Slovakia.

I just made sure the contacts were taped over, the individual packs were in their own retail packaging, and they were kept in my laptop bag, along with my transmitter.

Delvis · 27 Oct 2018 at 19:15

Stick em into storage mode, put them in hand luggage and just make them aware.

binaryknight · 27 Oct 2018 at 20:47

last few posts have made me more inclined to "wing it"
thanks for the responses guys

1pudding1
is that from an easyjet manual?

paradigm , is that also flying with easyjet?

delvis, storage mode ? tbh something im not aware of, they are pretty much fully drained as it is

1pudding1 · 27 Oct 2018 at 23:22

Yup, direct from our operating manuals. You could quite easily get away with nobody finding out. But if you tell anyone or they see the batteries, as long as you follow the guidelines i posted, then the crew on the day on the actual aircraft will be looking at exactly the same guidelines so you'll be fine.

b0rn2sk8 · 28 Oct 2018 at 09:37

I’m not sure how they would ever even know (as long as you are sensible), the airport scan/search your bags and not the airline. When you are in the security line they have no idea who you are or where you are going.

What you have listed in your OP is more than reasonable and you are only taking 2 spares.