United Airlines & Lithium Batteries
Another time to get on a 16-hour international flight – typical, too many times. "What could possibly go wrong?" is a question that I often ask for fun, albeit the interesting answer to that question is usually something far from fun.
The whole process of flying with United has been refreshing (mostly in terms of the in-flight digital interface, lame reason I know, but what else can be refreshing about flying) and pretty smooth: I was able to check in online and get the boarding pass in my Google Wallet. Then there was the line-free baggage tagging. Everything was so good until I tried to actually check in my bag.
This is definitely not my first time flying, nor is it my first time flying with United, nor was it the first time that I have some electronic device stored inside a bag I am about to check in. First, the person checking in bags asked me if there were lithium batteries in my suitcase in a rather "frightening" way that made me startle a bit and I said something around the lines of "yes, there are lithium batteries, but they are inside a mobile devices (namely, a Legion Go)." Then, the next thing I knew, I was hit with a "you have to remove that from the bag" type of speech. I'm not sure if it was out of disbelief or out of worry that they didn't hear me correctly when I repeated again that it was a mobile device and the battery is contained within the device. After some more conversing/arguing back and forth and explaining that I have flown with such items in my checked bags a dozen times, I was redirected to ask another agent if my situation is permitted.
I walked over to another agent, thinking in my head, "surely whom I was talking to previously is just an exception and an individual who doesn't know the regulations clearly." Oh boy, was I wrong, and I was about to find out that I am SOOOO wrong.
This second agent voiced the same information as the previous one – "no lithium batteries in checked bags." I am paraphrasing, yes, but this is consistent with what they said (you just have to take my word for it). And the decision the agent presented in front of me as they casually walked away was: either take out the device as a carry-on or not have that bag checked in, which is basically a death sentence to any chance of me flying today.
Out of pure frustration, I called my dad, and after some chatting, I decided to search online. Guess what? The web unanimously agreed that devices like laptops with batteries (lithium-ion batteries) integrated within are allowed to be checked in. Now, this is by no means a reliable source, but I would like to think that the web is not just filled with rumors that are not backed by evidence. With that, I decided to go back and confront a different agent, hoping that they would simply let me through with this.
You might have guessed the ending to this one. After telling them about the situation, they elevated it to someone who seems to be in charge of the whole baggage check-in process. The response was even more frustrating:
Lithium batteries are never allowed in checked bags, and this applies internationally... I don't know/care what the regulators at other places have done, but I am not going to let you put yourself and other passengers in danger by having something that can EXPLODE be in a checked bag.
Either take it out as a carry-on or you can call United and cancel your flight and get it with some other airline.
(leaves with a careless look)
I was so annoyed and, out of fear that I might actually not be able to fly today, I followed in his footsteps and asked if I would be able to check-in my bag (and consequently actually fly back home) if I take out my device. I got a yes, on the strict condition mentioned earlier.
As a conclusion to the check-in process I decided to just take out one of my devices and check the bag in.
After that, I cleared TSA and finally got to sit down and enjoy some food. I decided at that moment that it would be even more delicious if I research the actual regulations on this.
I will skip the tasty exploration process and just jump to the answers here:
FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)
Checked Baggage
Baggage equipped with lithium batteries are only allowed in checked baggage when containing lithium metal batteries with a lithium content not exceeding 0.3 grams, or lithium ion batteries with a Watt-hour rating not exceeding 2.7 Wh.
Portable electronic devices powered by lithium batteries that are placed in checked baggage must be completely switched off (not in sleep or hibernation mode) and protected to prevent unintentional activation or damage.
[source]
This article doesn't explicitly say it is allowed (but is more or less implied), but it does say under the case where portable devices are placed in checked bags, they should be completely switched off, which is a pretty fair requirement.
Most consumer personal electronic devices containing batteries are allowed in carry-on and checked baggage, including but not limited to cell phones, smart phones, data loggers, PDAs, electronic games, tablets, laptop computers, cameras, camcorders, watches, calculators, etc. This covers typical dry cell batteries, lithium metal, and lithium ion batteries for consumer electronics (AA, AAA, C, D, button cell, camera batteries, laptop batteries, etc.)
[source]
This explicitly states that electronic devices containing batteries are allowed.
CFR (Code of Federal Regulations)
Portable electronic devices powered by lithium batteries may be carried in either checked or carry-on baggage. When carried in checked baggage, portable electronic devices powered by lithium batteries must be completely switched off (i.e., not in sleep or hibernation mode) and protected to prevent unintentional activation or damage
[source] 49 CFR 175.10(a)(18)
This clearly states portable electronic devices with lithium batteries are permitted to be in checked baggage.
TSA (Transportation Security Administration)
Might as well include TSA, they probably have some other more general description, but I won't be bothered to find it.
United Airlines (themselves, yes)
I guess United themselves do not clearly say electronic devices containing lithium batteries is allowed, but they only stated that that don't allow loose lithium batteries, which are not batteries within electronic devices already. So, by that logic, they are allowed.
Although it is not that clear, UA does link FAA for further details/reading, so what we have quoted on FAA is supposedly also UA's official response (at least from the website).
So, in conclusion, they are allowed, but just not if you are talking with these agents that I was so fortunate to meet.
Now that I am sitting outside the boarding gate and writing all this, another question arises. I still have a lithium ion battery in that checked in bag, so why did they stop giving me trouble? Is the word of some random traveler enough of a safety precaution if it was actually that dangerous? I guess we will never know.