I would like to know what idiot (or group of idiots) decided to enact the rule that goes into effect in one day (and a few hours) that could limit you to TWO extra Li-Ion batteries in your carry-on luggage depending on interpretation. A quote from safetravel.dot.gov on "What's New" (as of Dec. 30, 2007):
"The following quantity limits apply to both your spare and installed batteries. The limits are expressed in grams of “equivalent lithium content.” 8 grams of equivalent lithium content is approximately 100 watt-hours. 25 grams is approximately 300 watt-hours:
* Under the new rules, you can bring batteries with up to 8-gram equivalent lithium content. All lithium ion batteries in cell phones are below 8 gram equivalent lithium content. Nearly all laptop computers also are below this quantity threshold.
* You can also bring up to two spare batteries with an aggregate equivalent lithium content of up to 25 grams, in addition to any batteries that fall below the 8-gram threshold. Examples of two types of lithium ion batteries with equivalent lithium content over 8 grams but below 25 are shown below.
* For a lithium metal battery, whether installed in a device or carried as a spare, the limit on lithium content is 2 grams of lithium metal per battery.
* Almost all consumer-type lithium metal batteries are below 2 grams of lithium metal. But if you are unsure, contact the manufacturer!"
Yet on other pages, the rules are very unclear as to what these gram equivalents actually mean. I travel with four spare Nikon EN-EL3e batteries, two extra batteries for my MacBook Pro and an extra battery for the second laptop I always travel with. Even before I was into [digital] photography, I always have three or so laptop batteries with - especially for those long trips. I don't understand how the TSA and flight carry-on rules could get any more convoluted. If I understand the watt-hour equivalent rules, I actually am still under the threshold of allowable batteries with two MacBook Pro (17") batteries and four Nikon EN-EL3e batteries by calculating the approximate watt-hour capacity of the batteries (the MacBook Pro batteries actually have their watt-hour equivalence written on them - 68 Wh). Yet, the language refers back to carrying two spare batteries... For what??? Two spare batteries for each device that uses them (in that case, I would fall perfectly within the rules) or two spare batteries, period? I'm going to print out all of the rule material I can find and hang my hat on the above language that allows me to circumvent all of these different calculations. Here's how it works (in my opinion):
The two additional MacBook Pro batteries would fall under the category of having less than 25 grams of lithium (if the way of calculating lithium content is accurate in that 100 watt-hours is equivalent to eight grams or less of lithium). The second bullet point goes on to say that "You can also bring up to two spare batteries with an aggregate equivalent lithium content of up to 25 grams, in addition to any batteries that fall below the 8-gram threshold." (emphasis mine) All of the AA and Nikon batteries I carry are below the 8-gram threshold and the wording reads that in addition to any...
The language on the referenced site and above still make no sense and are very difficult to understand. Even if you weren't like me and travel with decent amount of electronic gear, you could be over this limit if a TSA employee were to interpret the rules to mean that you can only have two rechargeable AA batteries with. Of course, this would completely ignore the rules that apply to the total grams of Lithium or the total Watt-hours your batteries add up to, but TSA are (rightfully) given latitude in determining what those rules are. I say rightfully because I think TSA's rules require a bit of intelligence on the part of the employee and interpretation to some extent is ok. In this case, though, I don't even know where to start because the language open to interpretation is so bewildering.
If someone has an explanation as to how to clearly calculate whether or not you fall within the rules, please write me. This rule effects anyone who flies with extra power for anything from cell phones to laptops and is clear as mud.
Link to pdf of page at safetravel.dot.gov.
