Sunday, January 3, 2021

Can you carry laptop on your flight?

When you buy a new laptop, your lithium battery might be shipped in a plastic bag with UN 3480 label on it (see Figure 1).  What does it mean?  Can you carry your laptop (lithium battery included) on your flight?

Figure 1.  UN 3480, Lithium ion batteries (shipped by themselves)


Types of Lithium Batteries


Lithium batteries are dangerous goods and, as such, require special packaging for transportation.

All domestic and international shipments containing lithium batteries are subject to transport regulations on hazardous goods according to ADR (truck)/RID (rail), ADN, IMDG, ICAO / IATA Regulations.

Lithium batteries are basically distinguished as:[2]
  • Lithium metal batteries 
    • In general are non rechargable and contain metallic lithium. 
  • Lithium ion batteries
    • Don´t contain metallic anymore, but a lithium compound (lithium oxide) and they are rechargable. Often they are called accumulators.

What's UN 3480?



The United Nations (UN) have developed a classification system for dangerous goods. They will be assigned to classes according to their dangerous properties. Another order scheme are the UN numbers, i.e. each dangerous goods must be assigned to a four-digit number, the so called UN number. 

If a new laptop is shipped to you, your new standalone lithium battery needs to be labeled with UN 3480 following the following packaging regulations:
  • Batteries must be placed in inner packaging that completely enclose the battery, batteries must be protected so as to prevent short circuits.
  • 30 kg gross weight per packaging
  • Strong outer packaging, e.g., fiberboard box (drop test passed: content shall not be damaged or shifted)

For lithium batteries at first you have the following UN numbers:[2]

UN 3090LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES
(including lithium alloy batteries)
UN 3091LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT
(including lithium alloy batteries)
UN 3091LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT
(including lithium alloy batteries)
UN 3480LITHIUM ION BATTERIES
(including lithium polymer batteries)
UN 3481LITHIUM ION BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT
(including lithium polymer batteries)
UN 3481LITHIUM ION BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT
(including lithium polymer batteries)

Additionally there is for vehicles the UN number UN 3171 (for electrically powered vehicles only) and UN 3166 for hybrid vehicles.

Can you carry laptop on your flight?


The short answer is:[3]
Passengers may carry their battery-powered devices (incl. laptop) and spare batteries in their carry-on bags. 
The simple reason for doing this is to protect your own safety by preventing the short circuit of lithium batteries during your flight.  When lithium batteries fail to operate safely or are damaged, they may present a fire and/or explosion hazard.[4]
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