THAI bans external battery packs on board

[g2x3k]

all you that just whine i have one question really ??, specially here in thailand with all the copy stuff you really trust cheap ass copy power bank not to catch on fire when huge companies have had issues with their batteries in laptops and phones and had to recall alot feel free to take other airline then and good luck

[brucegoniners]

Is this not related to latest security clampdowns in the UK USA airports where mobile phones or computers that must be turned on and shown to be working as you pass through the security check? If you have a phone and the battery is flat so it won't power up it's not allowed on the flight. These batteries and power banks have some kind of potential to used as bombs onboard. The authorities have only just become aware of it. I haven't paid much attention to this as I am not flying in the UK or US at the moment. I think this is the angle that TG's ban may be coming from as well as the long established fire hazard.

I travel a bunch and haven't heard a word about this from the west.

Sounds like THAI just overreacting. It's a favorite sport out here.

[Jdietz]

No problem if you have to dump them before boarding, they sell new ones on board...

https://www.thaiairways.com/thai-services/in-the-air/downloads/Electronics.pdf

[BKKSnowBird]

No problem if you have to dump them before boarding, they sell new ones on board...

https://www.thaiairways.com/thai-services/in-the-air/downloads/Electronics.pdf

Classic!!!

[MarkCyr]

Looks like I won't be flying on TG anymore then. I use a $300 hyperjuice for my mac, and there's no way I'm binning that at customs. They should actually encourage people to have them as carry ons -- that's a lot safer than if they are stowed below, where a fire would go unnoticed.

[MarkCyr]

OK, hold the phone. On the Thai Airways Facebook page, they have uploaded an infographic showing that you CAN bring most batteries on board, but can NOT have them in check-in baggage.

[SaintLouisBlues]

I remember travelling once on Thai Airways when CD players were a novelty and being told by the flight attendant that they were banned on TG flights. Still, this is a country where the Army consult magicians and astrologers before they take any action.

[MediaWatcher]

halloween, on 14 Sept 2014 - 11:22, said:

Bit late at check-in, unless you don't object to binning it.

What's the big safety difference between a power bank and the original battery? I carry a spare for my laptop....................

Leads can fracture and short, possibly causing a fire. Having said that the same risk can arise from them being in your luggage. Personally I'd prefer it to short while on someone's lap, at least them any fire can be extinguished, unlike one that start in the luggage hold.

[MediaWatcher]

livingthedream, on 14 Sept 2014 - 11:42, said:

Well I won't be flying Thai then and probably quite a few more people will be put off by this latest safety policy. What's wrong with taking a completely discharged battery pack in your hand luggage? It's probably the cheap Chinese made battery packs that are "exploding" anyway -

I am all for safety aboard airlines but going down this route you might as well ban mobile phones, laptops and tablets as well ! They all have lithium ion batteries.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Wow, I hope more people are like you, then there will be less people on my flights, more leg room. I really can't believe a person would publically state they will not fly with Thai, because they can't take their toys...very sad. When flying I do NOT want to hear mobile phones, noisy laptops or tablets, or be hit in the head by one flying through the air when hitting bad turbulence.... about time some people thought about others.

[dddave]

Twice in the last 2 years I've had the L-ion batteries in a small tablet and once on a Samsung smartphone puff-up within the outer foil containment envelopes with enough force to split the cases wide open and in the case of one tablet, tear the leather case. In all cases, the devises were inactive: neither "on" nor attached to a charger and had been unused for several weeks.

Fortunately, as I stated previously, the containment envelopes stayed intact so nothing hazardous escaped but I still hate to think of this happening in a heavily packed checked bag where heat is less likely to be dissipated. The batteries in my case were all less than 2500 mAh but I can imagine a much greater risk in 10,000+ mAh units.

I would side with the airline and err on the side of caution in this case. Many of these power units are very cheaply made; 10,000+ mAh units currently advertised at B900 and less.

Nobody wants a fire in a cargo hold at 30,000 feet.

[MediaWatcher]

MaxLee, on 14 Sept 2014 - 11:46, said:

So wait a minute, does that mean I cannot take my external battery for my smartphones on THAI Airways anymore?

My god, that means, I better shut down my iphone during the entire vacation....

Well, another shot in the foot to THAI Airways, you will lose a lot of teenies and young adult customers....

Yay....less young rat bags on the flight, maybe this will keep them home.......joy joy joy.

[Boinhongkong]

It would be smarter prohibiting the battery packs they use in their Boeing 787's. They are lethal!

[impulse]

Seems reasonable to limit them as shown on post #36. It would be a shame to ban them altogether since it's pretty handy to have a power bank with me on every trip. If I had to bin it at every security checkpoint, the nuisance of having to find one in every new location would outweigh the $$ cost of replacing them- at least the smaller ones.

Meanwhile, you can carry those glass bottles of 151 proof rum or even Everclear in your checked bags. I've had a couple of occasions where someone else's bottle broke and my entire suitcase stank of booze when I unpacked. Hard to imagine what a liter of spilled Everclear would do if it encountered an ignition source in the hold.

[KOZMO]

Well I won't be flying Thai then and probably quite a few more people will be put off by this latest safety policy. What's wrong with taking a completely discharged battery pack in your hand luggage? It's probably the cheap Chinese made battery packs that are "exploding" anyway -

I am all for safety aboard airlines but going down this route you might as well ban mobile phones, laptops and tablets as well ! They all have lithium ion batteries.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

You mean Thai Airlines is still flying??? Never see them on all the flight buying sights in America

[JohnThailandJohn]

I believe the FAA has banned certain types of batteries including some lithium batteries on passenger planes for like a decade.

Edited September 14, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[KOZMO]

Ha ha, they are totally clueless.

Since internal batteries are equally dangerous, THAI's next masterstroke will be to ban notebooks and mobile phones from their planes.

"I don't understand why flight bookings halved this year, after all we are the safest airline in Thailand!"

With the best prices!!!

Delta from Bkk to Lax/Los Angeles is:$1047 Sept/ return Nov

Thai from Bkk to Lax/Los Angeles is $3269 Sept/ return Nov

[csabo]

Fit USB sockets in all aircraft seats, then we won't need batteries.

Thats not really the point as one can't make calls from the sky anyway. I travel with a small carryon only and while I bring my phone when I travel I rarely if ever make phone calls with it. I just bought a power bank after getting stuck without power in Kuala Lumpur on my smart phone or mini ipad. Its true there was life before this technology but with the internet in your pocket you become a more efficient, econimical, informed, safe, well fed, well rested and happier person in general because of the massive amount of information at your fingertips. Im off THAI and screw AsiaAir too with their fees for picking a seat, paying by credit and all the other ridulous nonsense the charge for. It cost more to send my luggage on a AirAsia flight then it did to send my body. Not joking! Bangkok Air's stock is rising for me.

[CNXBKKMAN]

It might be something related to this...

Airport security checks: what do they mean for passengers?

http://gu.com/p/3qz2eAirport security checks: what do they mean for passengers?

http://gu.com/p/3qz2e

[csabo]

livingthedream, on 14 Sept 2014 - 11:42, said:

Well I won't be flying Thai then and probably quite a few more people will be put off by this latest safety policy. What's wrong with taking a completely discharged battery pack in your hand luggage? It's probably the cheap Chinese made battery packs that are "exploding" anyway -

I am all for safety aboard airlines but going down this route you might as well ban mobile phones, laptops and tablets as well ! They all have lithium ion batteries.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Wow, I hope more people are like you, then there will be less people on my flights, more leg room. I really can't believe a person would publically state they will not fly with Thai, because they can't take their toys...very sad. When flying I do NOT want to hear mobile phones, noisy laptops or tablets, or be hit in the head by one flying through the air when hitting bad turbulence.... about time some people thought about others.

Yessiree! Those dadgum whippersnappers with their newfangled whosits and whatchamacallits!!! No one had to worry about that in my day when we road the stagecoach from town to town headin west for the big gold rush!! Ain't that right gramps!!? I assume you posted from a nearby internet cafe as surely you dont own any of these terrible devil machines.

[KOZMO]

Is this not related to latest security clampdowns in the UK USA airports where mobile phones or computers that must be turned on and shown to be working as you pass through the security check? If you have a phone and the battery is flat so it won't power up it's not allowed on the flight. These batteries and power banks have some kind of potential to used as bombs onboard. The authorities have only just become aware of it. I haven't paid much attention to this as I am not flying in the UK or US at the moment. I think this is the angle that TG's ban may be coming from as well as the long established fire hazard.

Wrong!!! If the device does not turn on, they/TSA believe the electronic device could be filled with explosives!!

[Sandman77]

Does this mean a internal phone battery must also be removed?

[CNXBKKMAN]

Lots of things can be filled with explosives not just phones.

[MediaWatcher]

csabo, on 14 Sept 2014 - 17:18, said:

MediaWatcher, on 14 Sept 2014 - 15:22, said:

livingthedream, on 14 Sept 2014 - 11:42, said:

livingthedream, on 14 Sept 2014 - 11:42, said:

Well I won't be flying Thai then and probably quite a few more people will be put off by this latest safety policy. What's wrong with taking a completely discharged battery pack in your hand luggage? It's probably the cheap Chinese made battery packs that are "exploding" anyway -

I am all for safety aboard airlines but going down this route you might as well ban mobile phones, laptops and tablets as well ! They all have lithium ion batteries.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Wow, I hope more people are like you, then there will be less people on my flights, more leg room. I really can't believe a person would publically state they will not fly with Thai, because they can't take their toys...very sad. When flying I do NOT want to hear mobile phones, noisy laptops or tablets, or be hit in the head by one flying through the air when hitting bad turbulence.... about time some people thought about others.

Yessiree! Those dadgum whippersnappers with their newfangled whosits and whatchamacallits!!! No one had to worry about that in my day when we road the stagecoach from town to town headin west for the big gold rush!! Ain't that right gramps!!? I assume you posted from a nearby internet cafe as surely you dont own any of these terrible devil machines.

Use them yes... will my world end if I can't use them for a few hours, hell no. At least the stage coach travelled at a more sedate pace than instant messaging, which means instant action and an expected instant reply. Get a life, we lived quite happily with a fixed line phone.

[Michael8511]

Guys, it's time to leave the drink at the table and read about the ban, all of you are bashing Thai Airways like they are a second class airline. They are a decent one. If you read about the ban it say IATA are behind this ban. I came here with Cathay Pacific from the US and they also have the ban for this kind of batteries. With check in at airport they show you the laminated poster and ask if u have any of these items in your check in luggage. Also on the website when you do your check in there you have to check off that you have understood this ban of external batteries. It have been like this for a while but it was stepped up after the new Islamic movement. So please don't blame Thai Airways for this.

[tomyumchai]

Bit late at check-in, unless you don't object to binning it.

What's the big safety difference between a power bank and the original battery? I carry a spare for my laptop....................

your spare battery (if original) was made using top quality componants to ensure the brand name intergrity whereas these cheap 99p powerbanks are churned out using the cheapest parts available and hence more prone to catch fire.

iphones with ebay batteries are famous for catching fire when being charged.

[Torrens54]

I don't care what they ban, just as long as I can "Arrive Alive."

Somehow, it might might just make flying a lot more comfortable.

[muntergok]

Forget John Doe's battery pack...after watching this documentary last week, I will not be flying the B787 when a scientist from MIT says Boeing's fix for their lithium-ion battery fires isn't enough. If you don't have an hour to spend watching..just the first 10 minutes is enough to see what a 787's lithium-ion battery is capable of.

http://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/boeing787/

Thanks for the link. Wow!

This is worth seeing if your about to book a flight.

If you have already booked a flight on a 787 it would be best not to watch until the flight is over.

[muntergok]

Forget John Doe's battery pack...after watching this documentary last week, I will not be flying the B787 when a scientist from MIT says Boeing's fix for their lithium-ion battery fires isn't enough. If you don't have an hour to spend watching..just the first 10 minutes is enough to see what a 787's lithium-ion battery is capable of.

http://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/boeing787/

Thanks for the link. Wow!

This is worth seeing if your about to book a flight.

If you have already booked a flight on a 787 it would be best not to watch until the flight is over.

[apiwan]

I board now with my USB wire.

Most etihad planes have USB sockets in all classes

[drand11]

Crazy...now theres a chance they take my 2 battery pack? I eill fly another airline. Simple & cheaper