This really worries me too.
The energy density of modern lithium batteries is massive, and as a result they are being used more and more in modern electrical goods. Google "lithium polymer" and "explosion" to see what these batteries can do when roughly handled, say by being dropped onto the apron in a suitcase...
I regularly travel with a high power dive light in checked baggage. Even though the battery is a much safer type than a lithium battery it still stores enough energy to generate massive heat when switched on. I *always* double check the battery is physically disconnected from the light when I travel but perhaps that's because I know the consequences of a cargo fire in flight.
It scares me when I get on a plane full of divers heading to Sharm and wonder how many of them have been as careful.
Last edited by Captain Calamity; 5th Sep 2012 at 19:08.