In January 2024, the question of smart luggage allowed on Indonesian airlines became the talk of the town, due to a viral video of the device not being allowed into the cabin of an airplane.
Whether smart luggage allowed on Indonesian airlines to enter the cabin is a question because in the video, the owner of the suitcase claimed to have 1-2 years of use and was previously allowed.
Check out this article, which summarizes some statements from several airlines to find out if smart luggage allowed on Indonesian airlines.
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Table of Contents
The Statement About Smart Luggage Allowed on Indonesian Airlines
Smart luggage is categorized as portable electronic devices (PEDs) with its lithium-ion batteries.
Electromagnetic radiation on PEDs can pose a danger to aircraft systems, so these devices need to be considered whether or not they are allowed to enter the aircraft.
The following are statements from Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, and Pelita Air quoted from Tempo.co about smart luggage allowed on Indonesian airlines:
Garuda Indonesia
Through its official website, Garuda Indonesia informs that smart luggage with non-removable batteries may pose a fire hazard in the cargo hold or aircraft cabin.
However, for batteries with a capacity of no more than 0.3 g of lithium metal or no more than 2.7 Wh of lithium ion, they are allowed as checked baggage or cabin baggage in the off state.
Smart luggage with removable batteries can be brought into the aircraft cabin as cabin baggage. The battery remains in the off state even though it does not need to be removed when brought into the aircraft cabin.
However, the battery must be removed from the suitcase and brought onto the aircraft if the passenger wishes to include the smart luggage in checked baggage.
Citilink
According to an official statement from Citilink’s website, non-removable smart luggage cannot be brought into the cabin or luggage.
According to International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations, only smart suitcases with removable batteries can enter the cabin. The suitcase battery must be removed and brought into the cabin if the smart suitcase is to be checked in.
Each Citilink passenger is only allowed to bring one smart suitcase from a trusted store and one spare battery.
Pelita Air
Pelita Air also spoke up regarding the question about smart luggage allowed on Indonesian airlines. In the upload of its official Instagram account, the airline conveyed rules similar to other airlines.
Non-removable batteries are allowed in cabin baggage with the condition that the battery capacity is a maximum of 0.3 grams and a maximum lithium ion of 2.7 Wh. Luggage that exceeds this capacity is not allowed to enter the cabin or baggage.
As for removable batteries, they can be put into the cabin in an installed or removed state with a non-active state. But if you want to enter the baggage, the battery must be removed and carried by the passenger during the flight.
Conclusion
The question of smart luggage allowed on Indonesian airlines was answered by three Indonesian airlines, namely Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, and Pelita Air.
All three airlines allow smart luggage with removable batteries to enter the cabin in a non-active condition. The battery needs to be removed if the passenger wants to put it in the airplane baggage.
As for smart luggage with non-removable batteries, Citilink does not allow non-removable luggage to enter the cabin or baggage.
On the other hand, Garuda Indonesia and Pelita Air allow it to enter the baggage or cabin. With the condition that the battery capacity is a maximum of 0.3 grams and a maximum lithium ion of 2.7 Wh.
For non-removable luggage that wants to be put into the cabin, the battery position must be off. Luggage that exceeds this capacity is not allowed to enter the cabin or baggage.
Furthermore, don’t forget to make sure that your smart luggage has Type Approval certification to ensure the safety of the device.
