Batteries

To ensure you have power for your communication tools at all times, an external battery for your telephone maybe really useful. You can charge an external battery through your laptop or directly with a charger and/or an extra battery for your laptop. You may need power for long periods of time with no access to a power point. You will most likely be spending time in meetings or in the air and not at your desk.

Many airlines now have chargers built into the seats on airplanes including in economy. Make sure you have the correct cord and adaptor to connect into these so you can be fully charged when you land. If you are running movies or music from your device while in flight and so draining the battery, this is especially useful. You can check out what connection the airline has onboard on their respective websites. Increasingly these are through a USB port. To be sure, check out the website and bring the correct cord and adaptor onboard to be able to charge your device in flight. Note: you should not be connected into the charging port while taking off or landing.

Airlines also have rules about what batteries you can carry on board aircraft and what batteries you should check in. Regular batteries which are above a certain voltage are contraband for flying. Lithium batteries (which are used for external batteries) need to be carried in your carryon luggage for detailed security screening. Click here for a website outlining details on this topic.

Some airlines will no longer allow “smart luggage” to be checked in if the battery cannot be removed. “Smart luggage” is luggage with built in charging devices. This is for the same reason they do not allow smart phones to be checked in. American Airlines, Delta and Alaska Airlines are three airlines with this ruling. Check your airline baggage rules for details.