New (to me) lithium battery limits from the TSA
Dec 30, 2007, 5:09 am
#61
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I tried to think up other reasons why this all went down.
I think--and this is just a guess--that some faction of high end security manufacturing has come out with a new machine that can better detect devices and bombs and such but the cost is enormous right now. There have been concerns on what these scanning devices can actually detect and some stuff has gone by unchecked, but they are trying to make it so they can clearly recognize everything going onto a plane. The TSA or whomever makes decisions on what gets installed at airports nationwide, made bids to find the best products for scanning our luggage in airports and here's what I bet went down:
Eager underling who runs around pleasing the higher ups:
"Sir, I have some information for you. The A1000 system that's out right now from company X can scan most everything except these few items and it costs $1billion. Now, I found that the A1000-1.0 can scan everything and can even tell the difference between a camera battery and a laptop battery! Our scientists think this would more practical given the nature of the majority of the traveling public (business travelers). But this machine is $4billion. Would you like me to order those now?"
Supervisor:
"No, let's go with the cheaper model and just make a rule that forces the traveler to not put those items in their luggage anymore."
I think--and this is just a guess--that some faction of high end security manufacturing has come out with a new machine that can better detect devices and bombs and such but the cost is enormous right now. There have been concerns on what these scanning devices can actually detect and some stuff has gone by unchecked, but they are trying to make it so they can clearly recognize everything going onto a plane. The TSA or whomever makes decisions on what gets installed at airports nationwide, made bids to find the best products for scanning our luggage in airports and here's what I bet went down:
Eager underling who runs around pleasing the higher ups:
"Sir, I have some information for you. The A1000 system that's out right now from company X can scan most everything except these few items and it costs $1billion. Now, I found that the A1000-1.0 can scan everything and can even tell the difference between a camera battery and a laptop battery! Our scientists think this would more practical given the nature of the majority of the traveling public (business travelers). But this machine is $4billion. Would you like me to order those now?"
Supervisor:
"No, let's go with the cheaper model and just make a rule that forces the traveler to not put those items in their luggage anymore."
Dec 30, 2007, 6:57 pm
#65
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Here is the best article I've seen. http://www.thestreet.com/s/dont-lose...?puc=googlefiI can't parse my way through the FAA regulation.
Dec 30, 2007, 7:14 pm
#67
Join Date: Mar 2007
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I hope all the TSOs have degrees in chemistry.
Dec 30, 2007, 7:29 pm
#68
Join Date: Mar 2007
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I have a bunch of AA batteries from different manufacturers and I can't find a content label.
It is all quite confusing.
Dec 30, 2007, 9:47 pm
#69
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It brings back memories of when I was in college and my wallet was in a house fire where we all lived. No one died but I got back half the contents in a charred state of existence. My driver's license was 1/2 a plastic card now with my picture and some details remaining, including my date of birth. In those days, it was always a pain to go to the RMV and stand in lines and such, so I never had time to do it. I instead went to Kinko's copies and made a state seal with a strip of clear plastic that read "damaged license, temporary validation." It worked fine for those final weeks of going to bars and buying beer nearing graduation. I was of legal drinking age (had taken time off school so was 21 before leaving) but this kind of thing is always a pain in that environment anyway. I later went to get a new one but for a while it served me well!...
Who is going to know the difference and if they do, what's the big deal if you just deny everything and say you got the battery that way and now YOU feel ripped off?
Dec 30, 2007, 10:39 pm
#70
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: Virgin, United, Qantas
Posts: 155
I appear to be wrong about AA batteries. http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...batteries.shtm
I have a bunch of AA batteries from different manufacturers and I can't find a content label.
It is all quite confusing.
I have a bunch of AA batteries from different manufacturers and I can't find a content label.
It is all quite confusing.
Duracell don't use Lithium in their AA batteries - they use it in their batteries for Film cameras - ie, not the AA size.
Dec 31, 2007, 1:41 am
#71
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TSA makes flying more miserable
Scathing article here:
Except for the bit about "the gov't should be overreacting," it's pretty funny.
It seems lithium is the new WMD
THERE WAS A talk at the last Defcon and the TSA came up. Paraphrased, the message was that Kip Hawley, the TSA Administrator wondered why it is hated so much. It answered its own question this week with a ban on lithium batteries.
The situation goes like this, someone at TSA hears something, and it overreacts. This is not a problem, that is what it is paid to do, and if there is a threat that has an unknown aspect to it, better safe than sorry. God forbid if the voters aren't afraid, they might question the real problems that the government is not addressing, I mean, they might not behave properly. In general, overreaction is better than underreaction.
The problem is that the TSA never gets out of overreaction mode. Remember the whole 'liquid explosives' thing a year and a half ago? I think it was right for the government to overreact, and overreact it did. A week or three later, it came up with the whole 311 nonsense presumably to keep people from being too annoyed to realise that there was no liquid explosives terror threat in the first place.
THERE WAS A talk at the last Defcon and the TSA came up. Paraphrased, the message was that Kip Hawley, the TSA Administrator wondered why it is hated so much. It answered its own question this week with a ban on lithium batteries.
The situation goes like this, someone at TSA hears something, and it overreacts. This is not a problem, that is what it is paid to do, and if there is a threat that has an unknown aspect to it, better safe than sorry. God forbid if the voters aren't afraid, they might question the real problems that the government is not addressing, I mean, they might not behave properly. In general, overreaction is better than underreaction.
The problem is that the TSA never gets out of overreaction mode. Remember the whole 'liquid explosives' thing a year and a half ago? I think it was right for the government to overreact, and overreact it did. A week or three later, it came up with the whole 311 nonsense presumably to keep people from being too annoyed to realise that there was no liquid explosives terror threat in the first place.
Last edited by essxjay; Dec 31, 2007 at 2:30 am
Dec 31, 2007, 1:46 am
#72
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Scathing article here:
Except for the bit about the gov't should be overreacting, it's pretty funny.
Except for the bit about the gov't should be overreacting, it's pretty funny.
Dec 31, 2007, 1:51 am
#73
Moderator: Coupon Connection & S.P.A.M
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"Thank you, drive, er walk through."
Dec 31, 2007, 7:19 am
#75
Join Date: Sep 2006
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