Passenger & Crew Baggage Provisions (Section 2.3 Provisions Table)

Passenger & Crew Baggage Provisions (Section 2.3 Provisions Table)

While international regulations strictly control commercial air cargo, passengers and flight crew frequently carry items that contain hazardous substances—such as laptops, cell phones, power banks, medicines, toiletries, mobility devices, and sporting equipment. IATA DGR Subsection 2.3 and Table 2.3.A define the precise conditions, quantity caps, and location permissions under which dangerous goods may be carried by passengers or crew members on commercial aircraft.

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1. Legal Mandate & Structure of DGR Table 2.3.A

The overarching legal principle governing passenger transport is straightforward: Passengers and crew are prohibited from carrying dangerous goods on their person or in baggage unless explicitly permitted under Subsection 2.3.

Table 2.3.A categorizes permitted dangerous goods into five distinct operational approval and location criteria:

1. Permitted in Checked Baggage
2. Permitted in Carry-on Baggage
3. Permitted On the Person
4. Requires Advance Operator Approval
5. Requires Notification to the Pilot-in-Command (NOTOC)

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2. In-Depth Breakdown of Key Baggage Provisions

A. Lithium Batteries & Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs)

Lithium batteries represent the single largest fire safety risk in passenger aviation. Regulations distinguish sharply between batteries installed inside devices and spare/loose batteries.

Watt-Hour (Wh) Formula: Wh = Ampere-hours (Ah) x Volts (V)
(If capacity is shown in mAh, divide by 1,000: Wh = [mAh x V] / 1,000)

• PEDs containing Lithium Ion Batteries ((\le 100\text{ Wh}) or (\le 2\text{g}) Lithium Metal content):
  • Examples: Smart phones, tablets, laptops, cameras.
  • Allowed in checked baggage, carry-on baggage, or on person; carriage in the cabin is strongly preferred.
  • Devices in checked baggage must be completely switched off (not in sleep or hibernation mode) and protected from damage and accidental activation.
• Spare Lithium Ion Batteries ((\le 100\text{ Wh}) or (\le 2\text{g}) Lithium Metal content):
  • Examples: Power banks, external phone chargers, spare camera batteries.
  • STRICTLY CARRY-ON BAGGAGE ONLY. Banned from checked baggage!
  • Terminals must be individually protected against short circuits (placed in original retail packaging, taped over exposed terminals, or stored in separate plastic bags).
• High-Capacity Lithium Ion Batteries (> 100 Wh to (\le 160\text{ Wh}) or > 2g to (\le 8\text{g}) for medical PEDs):
  • Examples: Professional video gear, portable oxygen concentrators (POCs).
  • REQUIRES OPERATOR APPROVAL.
  • Max 2 spare batteries per person, carry-on baggage only.
• Batteries Exceeding 160 Wh / 8g Lithium Metal:
  • FORBIDDEN in passenger baggage (must be shipped as commercial cargo under Packing Instruction 952/965/967).
• Smart Luggage (Bags with integrated battery systems):
  • If bag is checked, the lithium battery must be removable and carried into the cabin.
  • If the battery cannot be removed, or exceeds 0.3g lithium metal / 2.7 Wh lithium ion, the smart bag is strictly forbidden from flight.

B. Small Arms Ammunition (Division 1.4S, UN 0012 / UN 0014)

• Location: CHECKED BAGGAGE ONLY. Strictly forbidden in carry-on baggage or on person.
• Approval: Requires Operator Approval.
• Quantity Limit: Maximum 5 kg gross weight per person for personal sporting or hunting use.
• Packaging: Must be securely packaged in boxes (fiberboard, wood, metal) specifically designed for small arms cartridges. Allowances for multiple passengers cannot be combined into a single package exceeding 5 kg.

C. Mobility Aids & Powered Wheelchairs

Electric wheelchairs and mobility devices are classified by battery chemistry:

1. Non-Spillable Wet Batteries (Gel cell, AGM, NiMH): Battery must remain attached to wheelchair with terminals insulated, or removed if the wheelchair cannot stand upright during transport. Operator approval required; Pilot-in-Command must be notified.
2. Spillable Wet Batteries: Must be disconnected, terminals insulated, and stowed upright in specialized battery boxes with absorbent material. Operator approval required; Pilot-in-Command must be notified.
3. Lithium-Ion Battery Powered Mobility Aids:
   • Maximum battery capacity: 300 Wh for a single battery, or 160 Wh each for two batteries.
   • If wheelchair design allows battery removal, battery must be removed, carried into cabin in protective pouch, and terminals taped. Operator approval and Pilot-in-Command notification required.

D. Non-Radioactive Medicinal & Toilet Articles (including Aerosols)

• Items: Hairsprays, perfumes, colognes, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizers, asthma inhalers.
• Quantity Limits:
  • Maximum net quantity per single article: 0.5 kg or 0.5 Liter.
  • Total aggregate net quantity per passenger across all articles: 2.0 kg or 2.0 Liters.
• Safety Standard: Release valves on aerosols in checked baggage must be protected by caps or other suitable means to prevent inadvertent release.

E. Alcoholic Beverages

• (\le 24%) ABV (Beer, wine): No DGR restrictions.
• > 24% to (\le 70%) ABV (Spirits, liquor): Allowed up to 5 Liters net total per passenger in retail packaging. Allowed in checked or carry-on baggage.
• > 70% ABV (Grain alcohol, overproof rum): STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

F. Dry Ice (UN 1845)

• Quantity: Maximum 2.5 kg per person used to pack non-hazardous perishables (e.g., seafood, medical organs).
• Approval: Requires Operator Approval.
• Conditions: Package must permit the release of carbon dioxide gas (never sealed airtight). When in checked baggage, package must be marked "DRY ICE" or "CARBON DIOXIDE, SOLID" with net mass.

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3. Summary Table of DGR Table 2.3.A Provisions

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4. 67th Edition (2026) Change — Power Banks and Spare Batteries in the Cabin

The 67th edition adds new recommendations on the use and charging of power banks and spare batteries in the cabin to Subsection 2.3 and Table 2.3.A. For regulatory purposes a power bank is a spare battery and must be assigned to UN 3480 (lithium ion) or UN 3090 (lithium metal) when shipped as cargo. When carried by a passenger this means:

• Carry-on baggage or on the person only — never in checked baggage.
• Each unit individually protected against short circuit (original retail packaging, taped terminals, or a separate pouch).
• Operators increasingly restrict using or recharging power banks in flight and require them to be kept where a crew member can reach them quickly rather than stowed in an overhead bin.

Expect at least one 2026 exam item on the power bank recommendations, because this is the headline Section 2 change in the 67th edition.