Electric wheel chair

[WupperAV]

I posted this on the wrong forum and I may go to prison according to the correct police. We bought a folding 24v powered wheel chair and having read the rules and every airline including foreign carriers other than US ones are similar . Lithium Polymer or Lithium Ion batteries: You must remove the battery, if you ride it to the Aircraft door, do it then. It must be stowed inside a plastic bag or taped and carried in a carry on, I will use a backpack. You must have non conductive tape with you to tape the contacts on the battery although they say either a plastic bag, original packaging or tape I wouldn't trust ground crew members to know any of this. Bring the tape. It will be a big hit with Homeland Security if you turn around!:eek:

[NorthernLite]

Actually most airlines distinguish between wet and dry (gel) batteries in practice. Gel batteries can remain in the chair while wet batteries are supposed to be put in leak proof containers. Since most batteries I've had weigh in at about 35 pounds a plastic bag for the 2 would not work. This is also why most Americans buy chairs with gel batteries. Then again, I have never flown with my power chair. Way too often they wind up broken and trying to get the smart box or joystick fixed overseas is near impossible. It is a pain for both me and my DH taking my manual chair but it beats a 300 pound dead chair when you get to your destination.

[WupperAV]

Thank you for the info. They didn't distinguish in the FAA rule so I wasn't sure. I know how people handle luggage as I am a Av Mech and their favorite trick used to be to throw suitcases full of booze out on the concrete to make them lighter. This one has a hard case to carry it in for an extra few $ (Like 500 :D) but we're going to try. It has a lithium polymer battery.

[ZellaLamb]

I have a small folding electric wheelchair with 2 lithium ion batteries. I've flown with it now 10 times and have never done any of those things. Lithium batteries are in the news a lot lately because of fire danger. As I understand it, the batteries made for my chair are designed with a charger that does not allow them to over charge. It is the over charging of batteries that makes them overheat. I usually leave my batteries in place and declare them as dry cell. However, if I need to do it, I can remove them and put them in my carry on. I always remove the controller on my chair and bring it on board as well. I drive the chair up to the plane and, after removing the controller and perhaps the batteries, the chair folds up and goes into a canvas carry bag. This is then loaded into the hold. In theory, the chair is brought up to the door of the plane at my destination. In practice, this only works at US destinations.

[WupperAV]

Thanks!

 

"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is." - Yogi Berra