FAA Reminder: Lithium Battery Fire Risk and Travel Regulations

Lithium Battery Regulations for Air Travel

• ✈️ The FAA is reminding passengers that electronic devices powered by lithium ion batteries must be placed in carry-on luggage, not checked baggage.
• 💡 This reminder applies to devices such as cell phones, laptops, and vaping devices.

Fire Risk and Forbidden Items

• ⚠️ Lithium battery-powered devices pose a potential fire risk on aircraft.
• 🚫 Items exceeding 160 watt-hours, like large power banks or generators, are forbidden on planes.
• 📈 The FAA has observed an increase in these forbidden items being confiscated from passengers at airports.

Airport Awareness and Compliance

• 📍 Tampa International Airport and Miami International Airport are among those seeing the largest increase in confiscated lithium battery devices.
• 📊 The FAA attributes the increase partly to the sheer volume of devices, with an average of four batteries per person now traveling.

Determining Watt-Hour Limits

• 🔋 Passengers should check if the watt-hour rating is marked on their lithium batteries.
• 💻 If not marked, passengers can use a calculator on the FAA's website to determine the watt-hours.
• 🚨 Bringing batteries that significantly exceed the allowable limits, such as a 500 watt-hour generator, will result in confiscation and potential civil and criminal penalties.