Batteries on a/c

[dazdaz]

Having checked the below link 'out' would it be legal to transport said luggage? I presume the batteries are sealed? The link..................

FOXNews.com - British Company Rolls Out Motorized Suitcase - Science News | Science & Technology | Technology News (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,371541,00.html)

Daz

[PAXboy]

My guess is that they agreed the batteries with the airlines at the design stage - otherwise they would have wasted every penny of investment.

Secondly, sounds like a great idea - if you are in Biz or 1st with the extra luggage allowance, to offset the weight of the mechanics and batteries. Naturally, their web site tells you this is not a problem. But then, if you can afford the (reported on Fox US$ 1,400) cost, then such matters of weight are not a problem. Note that the company is based in Henley-on-Thames!

I bought my first case with built-in wheels in 1975 and all main and (now) cabin bags have wheels and I have never had the problem they describe. If, as I get older, I cannot lift my suitcase then I will travel lighter, or pay a young wench to travel with me and carry the cases. :E

[Leezyjet]

Shouldn't be a problem.

Every day plenty of electric wheelchairs are carried, which I'd imagine have much bigger, more powerful batteries.

The problem will be when one of these beauties falls off the baggage trolley and gets destroyed. The airline's liability wouldn't even cover the cost of the case, never mind the contents !!.

:}

[Salusa]

Providing they are Dry Cells (which they must be), then no problem.

[Bushers]

Dry batteries can cause problems, for example discarded and supposedly life expired 1,5V batteries have caused waste bin fires when short circuited. A battery that is capable of delivering high current even for a short period (e.g when getting an electric motor moving under load) is a potential fire hazard. Volts times Amps equals Watts - Watts mean heat - heat can mean fire. A 12V car battery is capable of generating over over 4 kilowatts at cranking speed and even mobile phone batteries have caused fires. Hopefully in easing the load for moneyed people, the degree level designers have exercised a degree of common sense, and, dare I say, realising they are not aircraft people, have considered the consequences and put some safeguards in place. My >45 years electrical and aircraft experience thus far tells me probably not but I stand to be corrected.

[radeng]

Slightly off topic, but bear in mind that pacemakers in quantity are considered hazardous cargo. Appaently this is because some 25 years ago, a few were produced using plutonium capsules with thermo couples to provide power. The technology hasn't been used since about 1985, though. But laptop batteries could really be a problem, especially those ones known to have a propensity to catch fire when being charged.

[Pontius Navigator]

Bushers, you are quite right and one non-commercial carrier counts dry cells as DAC.

However travelling on holiday with a clutch of spare rechargeables, all carefully packed, and in my hand luggage, elicited absolutely no reaction from the baggage checkers.

Many years ago, about 35, El Al used to insist that passengers demonstrated that all elctronic equipment actually worked as intended. You had a camera - you had to take a photograph. OK, it is possible to design a bomb that takes a photograph or a time pencil that will write (all good James Bond stuff) but it did up the required sophistication levels.

Even Egyptair security checked a piece of stoneware to ensure it was not semtex.

Now? Anything goes except what is on their list.