[mithrandir]

Next Flight Restriction?

Are lithium-ion batteries the next threat to airline safety? - USATODAY.com

[Adam]

AFAIK batteries this small shouldn't be a concern. A minor fire can always be put out or contained.

[DAZ]

The mantra for air safety for more then the last 10 years has been “safety at any cost with if it looks like we are making it safer then that is what to do”. Air travel is already full of rules that like this with no end in site. Cost to risk is not much of a concern, unless you are a big player like an airline or manufacturer. As flying is not considered a necessity “like walking to the store” then any indignity or ridicules rule can and is being imposed. So yes lithium-ion batteries are on the hit list. But with that in mind have you ever seen how much energy is in a 1400 mAh battery for example? If you short one out, lithium-ion or any other battery, it is impressive not to mention a little scary. Lithium-ion batteries are just better at giving up their energy faster in a smaller package. The real question is with the billions of passenger miles that have been flown has a single plane had a serious incident with the batteries a passenger carried on them? Even if there was one is it worth the cost to ban the batteries for the one in a billion or is it safety at any cost even if it is only to make it look safer?

DAZ

[wjt]

Some guys from work got travel itinerary a few days ago and in the prohibited items was listed lithium ion batteries (they will be getting choppered to an oil platform as well as being in plane) i couldn't understand why till i read that article.. still seems a bit of a knee jerk reaction though.

Although, i did hear that nail clippers aren't terrible offensive weapons here anymore and are allowed on planes now, this is the only logical way a hostile takeover would go down with nail clippers;

terrorist: "give me control of the plane or I will cut your fingernails down too far"
flight attendant: "hahahahahahahahahaaaaaa"
terrorist: "right you asked for it, give me your hand"

Personally I am more worried about polymer, carbon fibre and ceramic knives than somebody with a nail file or nail clippers. Not that long ago i got to a destination and went to get something from my bag and found a pocket knife and a pair of pliers i had forgotten about... a person in front of me actually had a nail file confiscated, go figure. So the system is only as good as the monkey looking at the screen. Oh and we can take bottles of wine on planes domestically now too i have heard.

But i digress, i am not sure if that is a plane or a oil company ban here but it is certainly starting to get going.

[MRRiley]

So what about things like pacemakers or insulin pumps. "Sorry sir, you have to remove your essential medical device before you can board. We are afraid you will get together with the 3 other passengers with similar devices on the flight to construct a collective suicide bomb."

Before long we are all going to be flying nude since your pants or shirt sleeves could be used to strangle a flight attendant... Actually not a bad idea if you get seated next to Angelina Jolie but not so good if you end up next to Rosanne Barr and even worse if you have to set next to John Goodman.