Travel Advisories

Lithium Batteries

Last Updated: 24 January 2013

Lithium batteries may be dangerous and can cause fire if not carried properly. Whether a lithium battery can be carried by air or not depends on its configuration and its Watt-hour (Wh) rating (for rechargeable lithium-ion/polymer batteries) or Lithium Content (LC) (for non-rechargeable lithium metal batteries).

Please use the following table to determine if the battery you intend to bring is acceptable:

Watt-hour Rating (Wh) or (Li Content)	Examples	Configuration	Cabin Baggage	Check-in Baggage
≤ 100 Wh (2 g)	Small lithium batteries and cells for mobile phones, cameras, watches, portable music players, most original laptop computers, etc	In equipment	Yes	Yes but recommended in cabin baggage
≤ 100 Wh (2 g)		Spares	Yes Reasonable amount for personal use	No
> 100 to ≤ 160 Wh	Medium lithium battereis and cells include extended life batteries for laptop computers, and batteries used by audiovisual professionals	In equipment	Yes	Yes but recommended in cabin baggage
> 100 to ≤ 160 Wh		Spares	Yes 2 pieces per passenger	No
> 160 Wh	Large lithium batteries and cells primarily for equipment used in industry, and may be found in some electric and hybrid vehicles, mobility devices, scooters, etc	Forbidden in any baggage Must be presented and carried as Cargo in accordance with the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations For lithium-ion battery powered wheelchairs or other similar mobility aids for use by passengers whose mobility is restricted by a disability, health/age, or a temporary mobility problem (eg broken leg), please contact our reservations office for assistance.

Important Notes on Lithium Battery :

Please ensure that you have the information available for our staff when requested on the Watt-hour (Wh) or Lithium content (g) for all the installed and spare batteries that you are planning to bring either as cabin or check-in baggage.
- Amp-hours (Ah) to Watt-hours (Wh) Conversion: Multiply Ah by Voltage (V), (1Ah = 1,000 mAh), both of these data are displayed on the information plate of the battery.
- Example: 2.38Ah x 14.4V = 34 Wh for a laptop computer lithium-ion battery
Lithium batteries must be of a type which meets the United Nations (UN) test requirements.
Lithium batteries contained in equipment such as laptop computers, cameras, mobile phones etc must be switched off with measures to be taken to ensure that they cannot be accidentally activated when placed in check-in baggage.
Spare batteries, also called “loose” batteries, are those not installed in equipment. A lithium-ion battery inside your laptop computer is an installed battery. A battery carried separately, as a backup when installed battery runs low, is a spare battery.
Terminals of all spare lithium batteries placed in cabin baggage must be protected from short circuit by:
- Enclosing them in their original retail packaging or
- Taping over the terminals
- Placing each battery in a separate plastic bag (or protective pouch)
Portable battery charger (with built-in lithium batteries) used to recharge the lithium-ion batteries contained in equipment, such as mobile phone, is considered as spare lithium battery.
Non-rechargeable batteries with more than 2 grams of lithium (eg ‘C’ size battery and above) are forbidden in any baggage and must be presented and carried as Cargo in accordance with the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.
For US DOT regulations, passengers travelling to and from the US with lithium batteries should visit http://safetravel.dot.gov/quick_chart.html for details.
Lithium batteries carried in any baggage must conform to the above acceptance criteria. For safety concern, we may refuse further carriage of any excessive and unacceptable batteries upon discovery.