Camera batteries confiscated by security in Chile?

[travis_johnson2]

I was traveling through Chile not too long ago and prior to getting on the

plane, security manually went through everyone's bags. In the front of my

camera bag were several batteries, which the screener took and told me were not

permitted in carry on. I argued for about 10 seconds, and then gave in because

he seemed to not notice the 15 other batteries I had in the second pocket of my bag!

 

Has anyone ever encountered a problem with bringing *batteries* in a carry on

bag? It seems absurd and I assume that either this particular screener was

stupid or just wanted some new batteries. But I'm not completely certain.

[Matt Laur]

I'd be checking the Chilean verision of eBay for slightly used camera batteries right about now.

 

Just came and went through multiple international airports last week, and carried all sorts of batteries in my carry-on pack/bags. No guff from anyone. The only variable from one country to the next was the quality of the coffee in the terminal, and whether it was my belt or my shoes that had to come off when I went through security.

[JosvanEekelen]

I had the same issue when flying in India. Security personell insisted that batteries should go into checked luggage. Of course they didn't notice all batteries.

[Monophoto]

I had a similar experience flying from New Delhi to Lahore many years ago.

 

I suspect that it is an other example of paranoia - batteries can be used to trigger bombs or other nasty devices, and while the security people can't necessarily identify what is a bomb, a battery is pretty obvious. Eliminate the batteries and you eliminate the functionality of the nasty things.

[Spearhead]

I've had batteries removed from my bag at the Mexico City Airport.

 

I seriously doubt that these would end up on ebay. There are much more lucrative things that are easily found by airport security personnel, although most of the reports I have read are about it happening in the US, not other countries.

[Hector Javkin]

It is possible that inspectors were reacting last year's world-wide reports of a lithium-ion battery recall, a result of fires and explosions. See

<a href="http://jcwinnie.biz/wordpress/?p=1847">here, for example.</a><p> The reported fires occurred as a result of internal short circuits within the batteries. Since, presumably, this can also happen to lithium-ion batteries as a result of an external short, anyone carrying them loose could inadvertently start a fire. And if it can occur accidentally, it might also occur on purpose.

[travis_johnson2]

It worries me a little that others have reported problems with these too.

 

The batteries that were taken from me in Chile were relatively cheap (and looked similar to regular AA batteries) for my old camera. However, I'm thinking of upgrading to a Canon EOS 5D and am planning to do some light weight train travel in Europe next summer (just carry ons). These batteries are more expensive (BP-511A). Do you think security handlers could have problems with this type of battery too?

 

I've never heard of people having to chuck their *laptop* batteries, or batteries for CD players or MP3 players, so I don't see why camera batteries should be different. Do you think arguing might work?

[Jochen_S]

Travis, flight security is a compromise. Lithium batteries burn wonderfully if their deep discharge prevention is removed... Demanding passengers to take out every single battery of their electronic carry on gadgets would be a bit too much hassle so it isn't done but spares are a different topic. I doubt there are many Laptop users carrying spare cells as carry on or at all. - And they probably aren't such backup maniacs like us photographers.

 

What's your big issue about checking in another shoebox sized backpack? - Insurance should cover that loss and in a worst case it shouldn't be too hard to buy EOS batteries in Europe.

[jeffpolaski]

Gotta love it. Welcome to the 21st Century.

[ranong]

i lost some batteries on a domestic myanmar flight a few years back.

 

i think it is a way for these guys to get great western batteries for FREE to use with their electronics. local batteries really suck bad!

 

eddie

[jimbojack]

I had the same problem in Nepal a few years ago.

As far as I know it started by someone taking some wet (acid) batteries (like the ones in cars) onto the planes. The batteries leaked acid and cause considerable damage. Because of that the security officials (in Nepal at least) consider batteries to be "dangerous" and don't allow them on the plane. I was stoped and asked to put my batteries into my checked baggage (they were AA NiMH), I was able to explain that they were sealed and perfectly safe, after a few minutes I was allowed to take them onboard.

[shoshana]

I had problems w/ AAs at the Austin airport and in Fiji. But that was back in the fall of '01.

 

They weren't confiscated but in Fiji they had me put them in my checked luggage. In Fiji they xrayed and hand checked our bags going into the airport before we checked the bags, then we went thru a regular security scan of carry ons after we checked our bags, then they did a lookie thru of our carry ons at the gate, then wanded us before we get on the plane.

 

That was exhausting.

[kev_400d]

I was in Hungary a few weeks ago, security guard held out his hand and said "Cigarettes" in a gruff voice. I gave him my pack, he put them in his shirt pocket an waved me on. He made no attempt to hide anything!