Johnderh Air Freight

[Johnderh]

Have any members tried to send there ebike by air & been refused transportation from the airline company ? Or any good tips & hints how to get the bike sent ? It seems one airline company here in norway have classified ebikes as dangerous goods , more than likely because of the el components on threm ? Any advice ?? Regards john

 

[flecc]

Others may have the advice John, but the dangerous element is the lithium battery. Our large capacity lithium batteries are barred from flights following various catching fire/minor explosion accidents, including some in aircraft.

 

[Cyclezee]

Last Wednesday I was contacted by an electrical spares company who wanted an eZee battery for a customer who was over from Spain and needed it in a hurry. The customer had a flight booked back to Spain from Manchester two days later.

I explained that as Lithium Ion batteries are classified as dangerous goods it could not go by air.
The chap from the company was surprised at this and said that the customer brought his old battery from Spain to the UK by air in a suitcase and had them test it

Almost unbelievable, how on earth did it not get picked up X-Ray machines?

In the end the company arranged collection of the new battery, it was going to be sent with a relative by ferry to Santander and then onward by road.

 

[Johnderh]

Thanks guys , all the info i can get really helps live in Norway & wanted to buy from the uk & bring back here ,, may have to get it sent ,, love those kalkhoff bikes

 

[amigafan2003]

The chap from the company was surprised at this and said that the customer brought his old battery from Spain to the UK by air in a suitcase and had them test it

Almost unbelievable, how on earth did it not get picked up X-Ray machines?

Some airlines are ok with that - for example RyanAir have this on their website:-

A maximum of two spare lithium ion batteries are permitted in carry-on baggage and these must be individually protected to prevent short circuits. Battery terminals must be either recessed or packaged so as to prevent contact with metal objects including terminals of other batteries.

God knows why it's ok though - can you imagine a "determined" individual shorting or piercing the battery mid flight.

It seems all the restrictions are for when the batteries are placed in the cargo hold - i.e. unsupervised.

 

[Johnderh]

Looked at the ryanair terms , they will only air transport batteries for medical equipment .. Ebikes are no go .

 

[amigafan2003]

Looked at the ryanair terms , they will only air transport batteries for medical equipment .. Ebikes are no go .

"transport" (i.e. in the cargo hold) and hand luggage are different though.

Although I've double checked and when they say "two spare lithium ion batteries are permitted" they actually mean two lithium CELLS - so an ebike battery consisting of more than two cells would not be allowed in hand luggage,

 

[shemozzle999]

NYCewheels battery solution for a Brompton:

http://site.nycewheels.com/options/electric-brompton/battery-option-details.php

 

[mike killay]

I had to laugh when I saw that bag looking so innocent but with a wire poking out.
I can just imagine a suspicious Customs officer calling the Army who would promptly blow it to bits!

 

[cwah]

anyone tried to carry batteries through ryanair, wizzair?

 

[D8ve]

IATA regulations are clear. More than 100watt house in the battery and they are forbidden from transport in passenger aircraft. You can try and carry them yourself but if found they should be confiscated and you could face prosecution.
It's a bit of a downer this one. Sorry.

 

[cwah]

What about if I split my battery into 100wh mini pack I could reassemble when I arrive?

I can make 10*100wh battery pack in my bag. And assemble them back once I'm in destination?

 

[cwah]

i can go to the airport with 20 packs like that for a 2kwh bike
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.118.2W2JZB&id=37334336917

 

[shemozzle999]

IATA regulations are clear. More than 100watt house in the battery and they are forbidden from transport in passenger aircraft. You can try and carry them yourself but if found they should be confiscated and you could face prosecution.
It's a bit of a downer this one. Sorry.

See page 12 for details:

http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/Documents/Lithium-Battery-Guidance-2013-V1.1.pdf

 

[shemozzle999]

A couple of these in parallel should do the job:

http://ufgoldendragon.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008848577170/pdtl/Lithium-ion-battery/1087537365/Power-Tool-Battery.htm

 

[cwah]

Here's what they say:

"
Although the text provided above does not impose a limit on the number of lithium
metal and lithium ion batteries that fall under the 2 g or 100 Wh limitation (See
2.3.5.9) being carried as spares within a passenger’s carry-on baggage it must be
emphasized that the number of spares must be “reasonable” in the context of the
equipment used by the passenger and his or her itinerary. Furthermore, these must
be intended to power portable electronic devices (including, but not limited to,
cameras and professional film equipment, laptop computers, MP3 players, cell
phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s), pocket calculators etc).
"

So as long as it's about 100wh (how can they know? )

Maybe I can get 10 pack of these mobile phone power bank with me in my luggage?

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Design-10-x-18650-Power-Bank-DIY-Components-with-Dual-USB-Output-Silver/1716603942.html

And put serial connectors on it for when I arrive to destination?

But 10 is maybe a little bit too much lol. 4 would be a good number...

 

[trex]

do you want to get caught with 10 packs of explosive?

 

[shemozzle999]

Only two allowed cwah:

There is also provision, with the approval of the airline, for larger lithium ion batteries
with a watt-hour rating in excess of 100 Wh, but not more than 160 Wh in equipment
and no more than two spare lithium ion batteries as set out in subparagraph 2.3.3.2
as follows

 

[cwah]

No, there is a limit of 2 for pack over 100wh, but no limit for pack under 100wh:

Although the text provided above does not impose a limit on the number of lithium metal and lithium ion batteries that fall under the 2 g or 100 Wh limitation

So I can carry 20 of them as long as it's:

that the number of spares must be “reasonable” in the context of the equipment used by the passenger and his or her itinerary.

20 looks reasonable for me