TSA issues new rules for Air Travel

The US Transportation and Security Administration has issued new rules on December 28 that restricts air travelers to pack loose lithium batteries in checked luggage. The new rules that take effect on January 1 are issued to prevent unintentional short-circuiting and help reduce the risk of fires, the Transportation Department said Friday.

The TSA has imposed a ban on loose non-rechargeable lithium batteries in checked luggage, because the lithium batteries can overheat and ignite in certain conditions, and the fire-protection systems in the cargo hold of passenger planes can't extinguish fires sparked in lithium batteries.

The new rules though ban travelers from carrying loose lithium batteries in checked baggage, but they allow passengers to pack two spare batteries in their carry-on bag, as long as they're in clear plastic baggies.

"Doing something as simple as keeping a spare battery in its original retail packaging or a plastic Ziploc bag will prevent unintentional short-circuiting and fires," Krista Edwards, deputy administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, said in a statement.

Passengers who travel with electronic devices, such as cameras, cellphones and laptop computers need not to worry as the batteries are already installed in the devices. Under the new rules, passengers can bring only two extended-life spare-rechargeable lithium batteries for these devices in carry-on baggage.

TSA, a U.S. government agency that is responsible for security of the nation's transportation systems, has said it's safe to check in items like a laptop or iPhone that already have the batteries in place.

The ban affects non-rechargeable lithium batteries sold under such brands as Energizer and Duracell.

The new rules described on the Safe Travel government webpage are as follows:

Spare batteries are the batteries you carry separately from the devices they power. When batteries are installed in a device, they are not considered spare batteries.

2. You may not pack a spare lithium battery in your checked baggage.

3. You may bring spare lithium batteries with you in carry-on baggage – see our spare battery tips and how-to sections to find out how to pack spare batteries safely!

4. Even though we recommend carrying your devices with you in carry-on baggage as well, if you must bring one in checked baggage, you may check it with the batteries installed."

5. You can bring batteries with up to 8-gram equivalent lithium content. All lithium ion batteries in cell phones are below 8 gram equivalent lithium content. Nearly all laptop computers also are below this quantity threshold.