Own a Smart Bag? You Might Not Be Able to Board Your Flight
If you somehow missed the flurry of panic among tech-savvy travelers back in December, then listen up: Smart luggage bans are continuing to go into effect across airlines, and it could disrupt your travel plans.
As we reported last year, American Airlines announced on December 1 that all high-tech suitcases—the kind that allows you to, say, charge your phone or track the location of your bag—must have a removable battery; otherwise, they won’t be allowed on the plane, either as checked or carry-on. Delta and Alaska followed suit on January 15. Why? For the same reason you can’t fly with a hoverboard or one of those self-combusting Samsung phones: The in-built lithium-ion battery has been deemed a fire hazard and the airlines don’t want to risk anything flammable winding up in the main hold. That said, the new policies don’t span every U.S. airline (yet) and vary slightly from carrier to carrier—which is how this Traveler editor ended up removing the battery from her Away suitcase at the gate, with a screwdriver, just last week. Here’s what to know before you head to the airport.
Which airlines have rolled out the policy so far?
As of today, Delta, American Airlines, Alaska, Southwest, and Hawaiian have all banned bags that feature non-removable lithium-ion batteries from their planes. It’s likely the ban will extend to other carriers in the future, so check for any advisories before departure, regardless of who you’re flying with.
So, what happens if the battery pack in my smart bag doesn’t come out?
Are you sure it doesn’t come out? If not: You might be stuck. “If a passenger shows up with a smart bag that has a non-removable battery, that bag will not be permitted to fly on American Airlines,” says Ross Feinstein, a senior manager at the airline’s corporate communications department. The same goes for Delta. (According to The Strategist, Delta will rebook passengers onto a later flight so that they can re-pack their belongings in a different suitcase and come back—though that still sounds pretty terrible to us.)
Which luggage brands does the new policy affect?
Any bag that features a built-in battery, which means Travelerfavorites like Away, Raden, and Arlo Skyeare all affected, but given that they all feature removable power packs, they are still fine to travel with. Bluesmart customers are in a bit more of a bind: The Series 2 collection—which does everything from GPS tracking to remote locking via your smartphone—features battery packs that are far more complicated to remove (watch their handy video tutorial here).
What happens if I’m checking a bag?
If you’re checking a bag, you’ll have to remove your battery pack prior to check-in, and carry it separately in your carry-on.
Yes, but the policy differs depending on who you’re flying with. On American Airlines, the battery doesn’t need to be removed from your bag if you’re not checking it (though it does still need to be removable and turned off). Delta, meanwhile, is asking passengers to carry it separately from their bag for the duration of the flight, even if it’s being stored in the overhead bin, so you’ll need to remove it before boarding the plane. (Pro tip: Away provides customers with a nifty little screwdriver to unscrew the battery, and the brand’s newer models, along with Arlo Skye’s designs, feature batteries that can be popped out of the bag with a single touch.)
Will the TSA screen for batteries before you reach the gate?
According to a TSA spokesperson, passengers are not actively being asked to remove the batteries from their luggage during security screenings: “This luggage is not on the prohibited items list, and as long as the airline permits it and FAA permits it, we will screen it.” In other words, it’s up to the passenger to remember to remove their own battery pack before they get to the gate.
Smart luggage isn’t cheap—what are brands doing to help customers?
“We are working really hard behind the scenes to try to get this all to a consistent place as quickly as possible,” says Away co-founder Steph Korey. “For our communications to customers, we are working on an email to all existing customers to ensure they’re aware that when checking or gate checking our Carry-On, the battery needs to be removed… We’re also offering to customers that if they misplaced their tool, that we’ll send them a replacement on us to have in case they need to check or gate check.”
Bluesmart, meanwhile, has published a thorough FAQ on its website while it figures out next steps. “We are working with the DOT to provide us with an official letter of approval that will clarify the safety of our products according to the laws on airline safety,” the brand said in a statement. “Secondly, we are working with airlines who should be opening a process of interpretation for each luggage brand shortly.”
On the other hand, ever-changing security requirements might make travelers think twice before quickly jumping on another, far less useful, luggage trend: robotic suitcases.
Update, 2/5/2018, 5.50 p.m. American Airlines has since responded to Bluesmart’s statement with the following: “American Airlines is not in contact with any smart bag manufacturer regarding any changes to our current policy. Our policy is in line with FAA guidance regarding lithium battery-powered devices in the cargo compartment of passenger aircraft.” We have contacted Bluesmart and will continue to update the story with any further developments.
Posted from Conde Nast Traveler