More air carriers put limits on ‘smart bags’ with lithium batteries

More airlines have announced restrictions on luggage with built-in batteries because of a potential fire hazard they may create in the cargo area of a plane.

Two of the world’s largest airlines, American and Delta, announced this month that bags with built-in batteries that cannot be removed will not be allowed as checked luggage starting Jan. 15. Since then, United, Southwest, Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines have announced similar restrictions.

The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed restrictions on spare lithium batteries carried in the cargo area but has left it up to airlines to impose restrictions on larger batteries in electronic equipment, such as smart bags.

Smart bags have become increasingly popular with techloving travelers because the bags come with built-in devices that can weigh a bag, track its location using GPS and lock it remotely using a smartphone app. Some bags even include wheels and a motor so travelers can ride them.

In response to the airline announcements, some manufacturers are scrambling to assure potential customers that the batteries in their bags are safe.

Tim Ryan, chief marketing officer at Chicago-based smart bag maker Modobag, told the Chicago Tribune that the batteries in his luggage are removable but said his company may consider making batteries easier to remove in an upcoming line.

Another smart-bag maker, Bluesmart, said on its website that its batteries cannot be removed but still meet federal safety standards.

Whitten Sabbatini / New York Times file Tim Ryan of Modobag travels with one of the company’s motorized suitcases at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. The biggest U.S. airlines have announced that bags with built-in batteries that can’t be removed cannot be checked in.