Batteries and Electronics still in checked bags?

gvdv

Hi,
I have read some threads on indiamike from a few years ago advising (generally) that people put batteries in bags/suitcases that they are going to check, rather than taking them as carry-on items in the cabin.

I'm interested in people's recent experience of this kind of thing, and advice about whether or not I can carry the following in the cabin:
- Videocam
- Still (digital) camera
- MP3 player
- Tens machine (small, electronic massager)

The only one of the above that has a conventional (AA) battery is the tens machine; MP3 player has a built in LiIon, and you all know about the dedicated batteries that come with video and still cameras.

Should I be able to carry the above into the cabin? Is there any point in separating the batteries from the units themselves, and putting the batteries in the luggage in the hold? I'd rather not do that, obviously.

Thanks,

Wildhorse

The only flight on which I ever had to part with ALL batteries was on a Leh-Delhi flight several years ago. Apart from that, no problem. I always take two cameras, mobile hard disk (for photos), battery charger, batteries (accus and spare accus), etc. into the cabin. No problem, neither in India (last visit in January) nor anywhere else. If I take spare AAA batteries for anything, I sometimes put them into my checked baggage, partly to avoid problems and partly because I try to minimize weight.

gvdv

Hi Wildhorse,
Many thanks for your reply.

This is exactly what I wanted to know, and I'm glad to hear that, apart from your Leh-Delhi flight, you have not experienced any problems with the apparatus I'm talking about. Of course I will be taking chargers, too, as you mentioned.

Out of interest, what mobile hard drive do you take?

edwardseco

Actually I had batteries confiscated on a flight out of Hyderabad so the old policy is just that..

freenote

I also had batteries confiscated at Delhi a few weeks ago This was on leaving the country and security at the airport had been upped 200% .I had always considered Indian airport security a joke ,not anymore , those guys were professional!!

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Haylo

The dumb thing is, while some people do get away with it, and in India batteries are on the list of items not permitted in carryon, laptops and mobile phones, both of which have batteries, are allowed.

While I've risked losing AAA batteries, I never carry my camera battery in carryon, as they do get confiscated - and it's a special Nikon size. When I've carried my camera, the staff at the checkin desk have several times checked with me that I've removed the battery as they're confiscated.

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Wildhorse

It's called Jobo Giga One (Jobo is the manufacturer), has the size of a pack of cigarettes, and the capacity is 40GB. It has slots for various camera storage chips. Has been sufficient so far but I suppose I'll have to buy a bigger one soon.

Wildhorse

Thanks for giving me one more thing to worry about when I fly to India next time!

But seriously: Don't you worry that your checked luggage might get lost, and the camera battery with it? Isn't putting it into your checked luggage risky just BECAUSE it is such a special battery?

Actually, I once asked at the check-in counter if camera batteries in carry-on luggage were a problem, and the answer was "no, no problem". But I seem to remember that that was somehwere in Europe.

gvdv

Maybe the moral of the story is to ask at the checkout desk each time - although that also presupposes that the staff on those desks know their colleagues, and can predict their behaviour.

Wildhorse, thanks for the information about the Jobo hard drive.

Haylo

Of course, especially as I have three batteries, and they are pretty expensive. However, you have to weigh up the risks - how likely it is that they'll be confiscated compared to how likely it is that your bag will go missing.

Flying into India, you can carry the batteries in your hand luggage, and flying out of India, I don't care if I lose the batteries because I'd just claim new ones on my insurance.

What sucks is the risk of losing them on internal flights, during my time in India. For weekends away I'd rather just go with carryon, but we need to check at least one bag to carry those things which aren't allowed onboard.

edwardseco

India is different in so many ways..

Wildhorse

Yeah, I know. But carrying camera stuff is one thing I didn't have to worry about. Until now. Oh, well...

obione980

I travelled in India by air after the Mumbai terrorism last year - and had no problem with camera, or spare batteries. However I had to sign a register, certifying that a bottle in my check-in was Scotch (which it was!), at Khajuraho airport.

gvdv

Good point.

I hadn't thought about internal flights. Given that I'm going to try to travel quite lightly, this might put me in the ironic position of buying more stuff in order to protect it when I check in the bag with the batteries in it.

This is beginning to do my head in.

edwardseco

Its getting you in shape for the trip..