Rules for Scooter Luggage on Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, and Pelita Air

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Airlines are starting to enforce more stringent policies on smart luggage, including scooter luggage. Footage of a passenger complaining about his rideable suitcase being barred from the cabin went viral on social media platforms.

In a short video uploaded last week by an account named @febriansyahputra_24, the young man said his motorized suitcase, Airwheel, was not allowed in the cabin while it had been permitted in the past one to two years.

Airwheel is one of the smart luggage brands that is widely used in Indonesia. It has built-in electric scooters or motors that allow the user to ride them at a speed of 12 kilometers per hour.

Tempo rounded up the regulations on the use of scooter luggage enforced by three airlines operating in the country, as follows:

Citilink

Citilink stated on its website that smart suitcases are referred to as portable electronic devices (PEDs). All PEDs carried on an aircraft are subject to specific requirements to ensure that they do not pose a hazard to aircraft systems through electromagnetic radiation.

Thus, ride-on luggage with non-removable lithium batteries cannot be carried in the cabin or trunk under the International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations. Those with removable lithium batteries can enter the cabin with the lithium battery being removed and carried in the cabin.

“Smart baggage where the lithium battery is designed to charge other devices and cannot be removed is forbidden for carriage,” it said.

Each passenger is allowed only one smart luggage and one spare battery. Passengers are also advised to purchase any PEDs from trusted vendors.

Garuda Indonesia

Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia defines smart luggage as a suitcase with features and devices, such as a USB charger, Wi-Fi hotspot, GPS, automatic locking system, and motorized wheels. 

“Smart luggage with non-removable lithium-ion batteries may pose risks for a fire hazard in cargo holds or cabins, except for smart luggage with non-removable batteries containing not more than 0.3 g of lithium metal or lithium-ion not exceeding 2.7 Wh are allowed as checked baggage or cabin baggage. Ensure the smart luggage is in the OFF position,” the airline clearly states on its website.

However, if its batteries contain more than 0.3 g of lithium metal or more than 2.7 Wh of lithium-ion, the scooter luggage cannot be entered into the cabin or trunk.

Smart luggage with removable batteries may also be carried inside the aircraft cabin as carry-on baggage with the batteries installed as long as they are in the OFF position before onboard the aircraft cabin. 

“If passengers carry smart luggage with removable batteries, the smart luggage may be checked in, as long as the batteries are taken out from the luggage and kept by the passenger during flight,” it explained.

Pelita Air

Low-cost carrier Pelita Air enforces similar regulations on smart luggage with other airlines. On its Instagram account, the airline says that smart luggage with non-removable batteries of a maximum of 0.3 g of lithium metal or a maximum of 2.7 Wh of lithium-ion is allowed as cabin baggage, with the batteries remaining installed or removed from the baggage. 

The rideable luggage must be turned off or inactive. If it is checked in as cabin baggage, the battery must be removed and carried by the passenger during the flight.

Smart luggage, including scooter luggage, with lithium metal batteries greater than 0.3 g and lithium-ion batteries greater than 2.7 Wh is prohibited from entering the plane, either in the cabin or as checked baggage.

MILA NOVITA

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