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Old Feb 19, 2019 | 11:25 am
  #11  
threeoh
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Originally Posted by j2simpso
Technically you are in the wrong here. It is against FAA and IATA regulations to pack any device containing a battery in the cargo hold due to the risk of there being an unconfined fire. If anything you should have removed the laptop from the bag and brought it on board with you. If the FA/GA gave you any pushback for doing so remind them that they would be in violation of Federal law by accepting a bag with such a battery (and no removing the battery cell from a laptop doesn't remove the risk since most laptops have an embedded battery for CMOS).

-James
This is not correct. The FAA recommends that devices containing lithium batteries, such as laptops, not be checked. However, only loose, un-installed spare batteries or damaged batteries are prohibited in checked baggage. IATA has more complicated advice/rules depending on size, etc. (which, for example, excludes small CMOS batteries).

FAA: https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets...m?newsId=23054
IATA: https://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/...um-battery.pdf

In short, it's not illegal to check a laptop. It's just a bad idea.
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