Effective Jan 1, smart bags with non-removable lithium batteries will not be accepted as cabin or checked baggage on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon airlines.
Smart bags are a new type of luggage that feature integrated lithium batteries for the purpose of charging an external device or to provide power to the wheels of the bag.
Smart bags will not be considered a portable electronic device (PED) and as such, their batteries will be handled as a power bank or spare lithium battery.
Checked baggage
Passengers who travel with a smart bag must be able to remove the battery in case the bag has to be checked-in at any point during the customer’s journey. The passenger must carry the removed lithium battery in their cabin baggage and it will be treated in accordance with existing spare lithium battery requirements.
Cabin baggage
If the customer would like to take the smart bag as cabin baggage, the battery must be removable and should remain installed inside the bag. If the battery cannot be removed, the bag will not be permitted for carriage as checked or cabin baggage.
© Asia Travel Tips
2 Comments
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JonathanJo
I'd never heard of Smart Bags. A First World problem, not being able to take them on planes, by the sound of it.
inkochi
Ha ha!
Lots of the hand luggage shops in HK Airport are going to go into overdrive-reverse with this one.
A 'smart' bag with a lithium battery seems less smart than just convenient - probably stupid, given lots of other airlines already ban lithium batteries in different ways as such and the makers don't get into trouble, just the passengers, and makers need to plan products on demand and what is allowed anyway.
Never stops most people actually taking them on in checked-in and hand luggage anyway despite checks.