TSA Confiscates Battery

TSA confiscated my battery, or at least forced me to give it up to a couple of
Delta airline representatives.

This is a big battery. 12 volts, 17 amp-hrs, 14.4 lbs., gel-cell. It is now
coming back to me since the airline baggage people took it away, rather than it
going into the TSA black hole from which nothing returns. I arranged for UPS
to pick it up and the Delta baggage people were good enough to package it for
shipping.

Here's the whole story. The battery is for 2 things - extending the life of my
laptop by buying a $32.00 battery, rather than the laptop-specific battery for
over $100. Also, it powers another mobile computer for use in a car.

When I first started to carry this battery, I had it in checked luggage, and
they called me back from the terminal to explain all the wires. Had to go thru
carry-on security twice. So, I disconnected the wires via installing some
connectors, wrapped it in bubble-wrap, and... they removed the bubble wrap and
didn't get it back on very well, resulting in an exposed terminal. 1 exposed
terminal is not such a problem, although I supposed the entire weight of the
battery impacting on it when the bags are roughly handled might damage it, but
2 exposed terminals could result in a short. I have a ton of black plastic
electrical tape on these terminals, so there was not much chance of a short,
but still, TSA had to screw with it.

I decided to keep from having TSA undo the safety measures I took, I'd just
carry it onto the plane. Did it 3 times, then this guy in Portland decides it
can't fly.

Now, there's _nothing_ on the TSA website that I can find that says anything
about batteries being carried on airplanes. This is a fully sealed,
"non-spillable" battery. The guy there just and about 300 pounds of books of
regulations, and an attitude that if it doesn't say you _can_ take something on
the airplane in one of those books, then you can't.

So, now I'm back to sticking it in checked baggage again. Laptop will quit
halfway thru long flights, but I'm not buying an array of $100+ laptop-specific
batteries to avert this, so I guess it'll just have to quit. I figure to buy a
canvas bag known as a "tanker tool bag" from a military surplus place, using
some more bubble wrap, and sticking it in there. I can tie it to another
tanker tool bag via the handles - the other bag actually has tools, so is
fairly heavy too - so the battery won't act like a missile and hammer
everything else in the bag into dust when it is roughly handled.

So, anyone else have a battery in carry-on experience like this? Are there
actually no rules, and its "whatever this guy says today"?

Dave Head

Sure. Once, the guard confiscated one of the three miniature batteries
in my laser pointer. In their wisdom and intelligence, they must have
determined that it was the only one of the three that was dangerous
(maybe it was more highly charged than the other two). They did not
offer to ship it to me or allow me to check it in.

wrote:
Sure. Once, the guard confiscated one of the three miniature batteries
in my laser pointer. In their wisdom and intelligence, they must have
determined that it was the only one of the three that was dangerous
(maybe it was more highly charged than the other two). They did not
offer to ship it to me or allow me to check it in.

They needed only remove one battery to prevent it from being used in
the plane to put out someone's eye.

JimL wrote:
guard confiscated one of the three miniature batteries in my
laser pointer.

They needed only remove one battery to prevent it from being
used in the plane to put out someone's eye.

Are laser pointers on the list of prohibited items to bring on a
plane?

On 24 Jul 2005 11:54:42 -0700, wrote:

Sure. Once, the guard confiscated one of the three miniature batteries
in my laser pointer. In their wisdom and intelligence, they must have
determined that it was the only one of the three that was dangerous
(maybe it was more highly charged than the other two). They did not
offer to ship it to me or allow me to check it in.

So, ever find anything written down that said you couldn't have a laser pointer
on board? Is the rule just whatever the guys there say it is, or is it written
down somewhere? Anybody know?

Dave Head

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 17:47:45 -0400, Fly Guy wrote:

JimL wrote:
guard confiscated one of the three miniature batteries in my
laser pointer.

They needed only remove one battery to prevent it from being
used in the plane to put out someone's eye.

Are laser pointers on the list of prohibited items to bring on a
plane?

Is there really such a list? I don't think gel-cell batteries are on any of
the lists I've seen. Or, is it a list that says what you _can_ bring on, and
anything that can't find on it, they can take?

Dave Head

The official TSA list can be found at
http://www.tsa.gov/interweb/assetlib...16_2005_v3.pdf

Pointers, both laser pointers and mechanical telescoping pointers, are
not explicitly listed as either permitted or prohibited. Batteries of
any kind, including gel-cell batteries, are also not listed.

There is a "dual-use" clause for anything they construe could be used
as a weapon. A gel-cell could be viewed as a possible blunt object
weapon, but then they could apply that to anything hard and heavy (like
a book). I have heard of car keys being confiscated under this
authority. Unless it is explicitly allowed, they can and will
confiscate anything at their discretion, especailly if it something
that the TSA agent wants to "adopt" and take home.

On 24 Jul 2005 18:47:03 -0700, wrote:

The official TSA list can be found at
http://www.tsa.gov/interweb/assetlib...16_2005_v3.pdf

Pointers, both laser pointers and mechanical telescoping pointers, are
not explicitly listed as either permitted or prohibited. Batteries of
any kind, including gel-cell batteries, are also not listed.

There is a "dual-use" clause for anything they construe could be used
as a weapon. A gel-cell could be viewed as a possible blunt object
weapon, but then they could apply that to anything hard and heavy (like
a book). I have heard of car keys being confiscated under this
authority. Unless it is explicitly allowed, they can and will
confiscate anything at their discretion, especailly if it something
that the TSA agent wants to "adopt" and take home.

Yeah - so the rule is that there aren't any rules, and they can take whatever
they want. That's pretty much what the TSA said when I called their 800 number
about it - they said to ship the battery each time and don't even bring it on
the plane. The guy just wanted to get rid of the call, I think, so I don't
consider it a valid answer. BTW, its $22+ to ship the battery 1-way, as I've
found while getting it back.

They will eventually ruin air travel as people get ticked off at losing items
that are necessary to have at the other end of the trip or the trip is no use.
If I had lost the battery on the way _to_ Portland, there wouldn't have been
any reason to go to Portland - the other computer that it powers in my car
would have been inoperative, and I needed it.

When I finally retire, and don't have to worry about time off work, I'll likely
drive to all these destinations. I enjoy driving anyway...

Dave Head

Re : Laser pointers

There have been many incidents of kids playing with laser pointers and
injuring eyes of bystanders in public places.

So while it may or may not be explicitely banned, I can see why they would
want to disable it for the flight.

This may not be "terrorist" related. Remember that TSA is in charge of both
safety and security.

In terms of gel cell batteries:

Any battery which the airline suspects can leak is banned. This is pretty
standard and was outlined in the back of iata paper tickets years ago.

Any acid leaking in an aircraft is not good for the aircraft. Batteries for
wheelchairs can be carried, but they must be specially packaged in plastic
bags to prevent any leaks from escaping and weakening the aircraft structures.
(Not sure if low cost carriers accept them).


(The irony is that airlines have no problems with akaline batteries which can
also leak). But perhaps the use of "alkaline" means they are not acid ? (seems
that when they leak, they still corrode).

"Gel cell" is isn't obvious in terms of classification, so agents probably
treat them as "liquid/acid" and they just ban it.


Another aspect is that airlines do not want high powered "gadgets" in the
aircraft. If you need a heavy duty high power battery, perhaps it is to run
some machine which is not permitted in the aircraft. (Even though your use may
be OK to run a low power laptop for a long time).


It may look like a stupid decision, but it is really a grey area and TSA
prefer to err on the side of safety. And you'd find similar decisions in many
countries. Remember that in India they are even more paranoid about any battery.

Courageously writen by "