Travel journalist Ash Bhardwaj issued his warning on BBC’s Morning Live and explained what travellers need to bear in mind when packing
A travel expert has issued advice over luggage items(Image: PA)
Holidaymakers are being advised to keep one particular item in their hand luggage when flying abroad. This is for safety reasons.
Travel journalist Ash Bhardwaj says any electronics containing lithium batteries should be in your hand luggage rather than being checked in. He explained that this is due to a significant fire risk, while blazes in the cabin can be tackled, fires erupting in the luggage hold could prove far more hazardous.
Ash appeared alongside Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones on the rooftop of BBC’s Morning Live studio to issue his advice. He said a recent easyJet flight bound for the UK was actually diverted to Rome after a passenger realised they had left one of their lithium batteries in the hold. This comes as travellers were recently warned of £5,000 fines for bringing banned items back to the UK, as reported by ChronicleLive.
Ash revealed he had encountered a lithium battery predicament himself at an airport. He said: “We were in Vietnam, flying back home, and I saw these signs about not being allowed lithium batteries in your hold luggage. I was checking everything; ‘Is this one a lithium battery, like the fan for the baby carrier’.”
To play it safe, Ash decided to move everything he thought might contain a lithium battery straight into his hand luggage. He went on to say: “Basically, it’s a fear of the batteries catching fire. If you’ve got it on you, in the cabin, in your hand luggage, that’s fine because if anything does happen the crew can deal with it.
“The key thing don’t put power banks in your checked luggage they need to come with you.” It’s important to note that each airline may operate under differing rules regarding which batteries and electronics must stay in the cabin, so it’s strongly recommended that you check with your carrier before you travel.
As a general rule, spare batteries and power banks should only ever be packed in carry-on baggage, reports the Liverpool Echo. You may need to store these carefully to prevent the circuit from shorting out — for example, by placing the item back in its original retail packaging or putting each battery in its own protective pouch according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
This protection must also prevent the item from being accidentally switched on or damaged throughout the flight. Certain power banks may also require prior approval from the airline operator before being allowed onboard.
Other items that may contain lithium batteries:
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Smartphones
- Smart watches
- Cameras
- Music players
- Smart baggage tags
- Electronic cigarettes
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