ronaldmaurice

Just discovered you are not allowed to take lithium batteries on these flights.I have one in my Nikon camera and I usually carry a spare.Anyone have experience of this regulation?I have never heard of this before.How does one take a camera on safari.??Thanks

Leslie_S

Does that mean checked bag or carry-on or both?

I'll have to quickly research - am flying on SSA tomorrow and did not know this.

Leslie_S

That should've been SAA. So I just called their NY office and was told they don't make that decision - it's TSA.
But on the SAA website it does say lithium batteries can not be brough onboard in either checked or hand baggage.

WTF?
Anyone have any experience with this? Don't most or lots of cameras use lithium?

Leslie_S

Well the TSA site does say you can bring spares in carry-on not checked so that's what I'll do. I imagine they only freak out if people are carrying tons of spares, not just one or two. Fingers crossed.
Good luck ronaldmaurice!

HariS

No problem with cameras/ batteries that I'm aware of - I flew in and out of JNB in July/Aug. Security there is pretty easy to deal with.

No idea about USA specific flights though, as I fly from India to JNB.

ronaldmaurice

I got an email from another site from a South African who has flown SAA many times and he has never had a problem/heard of this regulation so here goes.Good luck Leslie.Bon Voyage!

Leslie_S

I bet there's no problem whatsoever. BUT, I did want to say on the link from TSA's site to info about taking lithium batteries on safetravel.dot.gov it mentions you have to either have them in the original packaging or tape over the terminals with electrical tape or other non-metallic tape and put each in an individual baggie. I'm not kidding!
I guess I'll do that just in case. Sounds really foolish but I don't want to be the one person they make an example of and get mine confiscated.

Leslie_S

Sorry to keep posting but I was just envisioning how taped up batteries will look like some kind of homemade bomb and probably cause more questions than leaving them alone would.
I'll be in the strip-search room with the german shepherds before this is over...

aknards

I just flew SAA on Sept 7 and Sept 26 with a HUGE carry-on camera bag full of lithiums, alkalines, chargers, you name it. I had absolutely no problem - no one even hand searched - my bag went through every airport scanner without a second glance.

cary999

RM - can you reference your source of information on the battery thing? From what I know, the lithium battery problem is only for large batteries like those used in PC laptops. Those store enough energy to be a potential hazard. Typical camera batteries are small and do not.

Here is some discussion re this on a photography site -
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=31286884

regards - tom

Leslie_S

tom - the SAA website does say "no lithium" (doesn't specify ion or any other) in either checked or hand baggage. Doesn't talk about the size or any other specs. I called them and they said it's not up to them, it's TSA regs so going by the TSA website you get the "allowed but only in carry-on" info plus the link to the tape & baggie requirement. It seems overkill for typical small camera batteries and I bet it's not an issue unless the batts are a certain size or in big numbers.
Or if a TSA agent is feeling cranky

one2travel2

I just returned from South Africa on SAA. Had my camera with a lithium battery in my hand baggage and two spares on the side. Was never questioned and the batteries went and returned just fine.

Hope this alleviates your fears. Have a great trip!!!

jczinn

This is not an issue with camera-size lithiums in carry-on luggage, as Tom notes. The restriction is only in checked luggage. See this info here:http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html

@aknards, I am interested in your comment about your HUGE carry-on camera bag. I am hesitant to fly SAA for my trip next year because of their restrictive weight of only 8 kg (about 18 lbs) for carry-on. My camera bag weighs much more than that when I am carrying big safari lenses, etc. How big/heavy was your bag?

cary999

Don't get me started about SAA/JNB security. They won't allow nail clips if it has that tiny little file on it. Nor will they allow small tools that are fine with TSA. I showed SAA the TSA regulation saying that small tools are ok, and JNB security said - tough, we're not TSA. I would not assume anything with JNB security including stealing from your checked luggage, had that happen also. SAA said too bad.

regards - tom

matnikstym

I had 3 sets of lithium batteries in my camera case and went through Honolulu, Seoul, Hong Kong, Johannesburg and Lusaka with no problem. Carried on a large backpack and small duffel with no problem at all.

matnikstym

(the Hong Kong-Joburg-Lusaka were all on South African)

aknards

jczinn,

My bag wasn't actually very heavy this trip because I only brought one Nikon body with moderate zoom (18-200) plus a little Canon superzoom SX20 as backup. But the bag is a big old Domke from the 1980's, far from inconspicuous. I filled it with all kinds of other stuff - all my electronics, cables, rechargers, etc. That's why I was surprised that it went thru security so easily - it's really a pain to haul around, it's so big - but it's been with me through professional jobs and many trips and I just can't seem to let it go...