# spare battery limit carry on bag



## langdonb (Mar 29, 2016)

HI. Anyone have recent experience on international flights as to how many spare batteries may be carried in cabin baggage?

Searches online are vague, but Brithish Airways has a pdf file that states 4 spares plus one on the camera body, yet Lufhansas' manual states TWO spares! That would be a real challenge!

Regards,
Robert


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 29, 2016)

At least for US carriers, the limit of two spare Li batteries applies only to batteries over 100 Wh. For batteries smaller than 100 Wh, you can carry as many as you want as long as they have their terminals covered and you have them in carry on (not checked). Just for reference, the LP-E4N battery pack for the 1D X is ~27 Wh, so I don't think any dSLR battery would exceed that 100 Wh limit.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Mar 30, 2016)

neuroanatomist said:


> At least for US carriers, the limit of two spare Li batteries applies only to batteries over 100 Wh. For batteries smaller than 100 Wh, you can carry as many as you want as long as they have their terminals covered and you have them in carry on (not checked). Just for reference, the LP-E4N battery pack for the 1D X is ~27 Wh, so I don't think any dSLR battery would exceed that 100 Wh limit.



Yes, virtually all camera batteries fall into the under 100Wh limit. However, TSA folks are not engineers, and some may have trouble with high school math. If you have a dozen batteries in a bag, I'd expect them to stop you from bringing them onboard. If they are cheap ebay batteries, that would be a good thing.


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## langdonb (Apr 1, 2016)

There is so much mis-information being published by international airlines/governing bodies about this. Those of us who travel from countries outside of USA are subject to TSA like wanabees to interpert someones idea of the rules and will suffer from it.

I searched for a definitive worldwide accepted document and found this from IATA. I have outlined three sections re batteries. Note first one which is open ended, no restriction on how many. Second specifically mentions camera batteries and that NO SPARES can be carried! Third allow two 100 watt batteries...make a lot of sense huh?

The bottom line for me traveling from Panama to Frankfurt then Johannesburg is I could loose some if not all my battery spares.


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## expatinasia (Apr 1, 2016)

I travel a lot, and with a lot of gear and have never had a problem.

Just make sure your batteries are in your carry-on luggage.


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## langdonb (Apr 1, 2016)

FYI, Here is IATA's flyer on battery .

http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/Documents/passenger-lithium-battery.pdf


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## RGF (Apr 1, 2016)

langdonb said:


> FYI, Here is IATA's flyer on battery .
> 
> http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/Documents/passenger-lithium-battery.pdf



thanks. this is helpful.

Never been questioned traveling internationally.


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## surapon (Apr 8, 2016)

langdonb said:


> HI. Anyone have recent experience on international flights as to how many spare batteries may be carried in cabin baggage?
> 
> Searches online are vague, but Brithish Airways has a pdf file that states 4 spares plus one on the camera body, yet Lufhansas' manual states TWO spares! That would be a real challenge!
> 
> ...




Dear friend Mr. Robert.
Past3 years, I fly around the world 4 times, and Fly in USA.8 times With 48 Pounds back pack for Photographic equipment. and 14 pound Belly Pack Cameras equipment include 4 NP-E3 batteries for my Canon 1DS, 12 Batteries LP-E8 for my 5D Mk II, 7 D MK II and last trip for Canon 5D SR + 6 Batteries of LP-E-12 for my dear Canon EOS-M .
No, No one at the security check points ask me any question. BUT I have Priority TSA PASS, that I go to the security check point with out remove the shoe or remove the belt---ETC. BIG BUT---Depend on the Airport in each country too, BUT I never have any problem of the carry on spare batteries.
Good Luck , Sir.
Surapon


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## langdonb (Aug 6, 2016)

As an update on my trip to South Africa, I flew from Panama to Frankfurt then on to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Maun (Botswana) and Windhoek (Namibia). In most cases, no one even wanted to open my camera bag, let alone inquire about the 4 spare EP-E6 batteries. In contrast, soon after the new laws were published last year about danger of Li Ion batteries, I was asked both in Panama City and Mexico city to take all out of my camera pack and they anked to see any and all batteries. So it seems there is no longer any issue to take multiple spares.


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## sunnyVan (Aug 7, 2016)

48lbs? That's some serious dedication.

I guess I shouldn't complain about my bag weighing 18lbs. 



surapon said:


> langdonb said:
> 
> 
> > HI. Anyone have recent experience on international flights as to how many spare batteries may be carried in cabin baggage?
> ...


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## Don Haines (Aug 7, 2016)

sunnyVan said:


> 48lbs? That's some serious dedication.
> 
> I guess I shouldn't complain about my bag weighing 18lbs.


Yeah..... My friends complain that my camera gear weighs more than the canoe


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## Click (Aug 7, 2016)

Don Haines said:


> Yeah..... My friends complain that my camera gear weighs more than the canoe



;D


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## meckley (Aug 7, 2016)

I have never looked at the limits. I fly a couple of times a year and I always have several spare batteries for the camera and flash that I put in my carry-on. My wife and I just came back from the Galapagos and I had a carry-on bag just for cameras and accessories. We had three cameras (7D2, T2i, and EOS-M) with three batteries each. I had a dive camera with strobe and video light. There were several batteries for them. The carry-on also had all of the chargers for the different batteries. I cannot imagine what the carry-on looked like when it went through the X-Ray machine. I was never stopped to open any of the bags.


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## Velo Steve (Aug 7, 2016)

Maybe not directly relevant, but I recently traveled with some people carrying LiPo batteries for robotics. It was only a few batteries per person, but these are *much* bigger batteries. Their strategy was to volunteer the information that they were carrying lots of lithium. The bags got checked, but there was never any doubt about getting through.


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## nc0b (Aug 7, 2016)

I had no problem with carry-on spare lithium batteries to South America, nor a 7 AH lithium battery for a ham radio transceiver. None could be in checked baggage, which I would not have wanted to do anyway. With 11 different flights I only had to unpack my camera backpack once, and the radio backpack once.


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## RGF (Aug 8, 2016)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > At least for US carriers, the limit of two spare Li batteries applies only to batteries over 100 Wh. For batteries smaller than 100 Wh, you can carry as many as you want as long as they have their terminals covered and you have them in carry on (not checked). Just for reference, the LP-E4N battery pack for the 1D X is ~27 Wh, so I don't think any dSLR battery would exceed that 100 Wh limit.
> ...



Don't make it obvious. Place batteries in different areas of the bag, so in pockets, some tucked next to lens or camera bodies.


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