Five Tips For Travelling Smarter With Tech This Easter

With Easter and the school holidays just around the corner, FlySafair is encouraging passengers to pack smart so they can breeze through the airport and enjoy a smoother journey, especially when travelling with everyday tech like phones, tablets, laptops, cameras and power banks.

A little preparation before heading to the airport goes a long way, particularly during peak travel periods when airports are at their busiest.

“Most travel snags are avoidable with a little preparation,” says Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair. “If you keep your essentials with you, have your devices easy to scan, and understand a few simple battery rules, you’ll move through the airport faster, and help everyone around you do the same.”

Five Quick Tips for Travelling with Tech

1. Keep your essentials in your carry‑on
   Pack phones, laptops, tablets, cables, chargers, medication, travel documents, and all power banks and spare batteries, in your cabin bag so they’re always with you. If your carry‑on is gate‑checked on a full flight, remove any devices and spare batteries before handing it over.
2. Make security screening easy on yourself
   Pack electronics where they’re easy to access. Use sleeves or padded compartments, keep devices powered off when not in use, and follow airport security instructions for removing laptops and larger electronics at the screening point. A little organisation at the packing stage saves time at the checkpoint.
3. Add bags and extras online before you fly
   If you need checked luggage, adding it online via Manage My Booking is faster and typically cheaper than adding it at the airport. It’s a simple step that helps keep check‑in moving quickly during busy periods.
4. Label, protect and tidy your tech
   Use cable organisers, label your chargers, and keep small accessories in a zip pouch. This helps protect your items and makes repacking at the security tray much quicker.
5. Know your carry‑on allowance
   Carry‑on size and weight allowances still apply even if your bag is full of gadgets. Check the limits on your booking before you travel to avoid last‑minute repacking at the gate.

A Note on Power Banks

Power banks are spare lithium‑ion batteries, which means they fall under international battery safety rules and must always travel in your carry‑on baggage, not in checked luggage. This is a global aviation safety standard and one of the most common rules passengers are caught out by at check‑in.

The basics:

• Carry‑on only – Power banks and spare lithium‑ion batteries may not be placed in checked luggage.
• Under 100Wh – Permitted in carry‑on without airline approval. This covers most phones, laptops, tablets and standard power banks.
• 100–160Wh – Permitted with airline approval, limited to two spare batteries per passenger.
• Over 160Wh – Not permitted on passenger aircraft.
• Gate‑check reminder – If your carry‑on is placed in the hold at boarding, remove power banks and spare batteries and keep them in the cabin.

Not sure of your battery’s watt‑hour rating? It’s usually printed on the battery. If only milliamp‑hours (mAh) and voltage are listed, it can be calculated using:
Wh = (mAh ÷ 1000) × voltage

Why the Rule Exists

In the rare event that a lithium‑ion battery overheats or short‑circuits, cabin crew can respond immediately. In the aircraft hold, detection and response are significantly more difficult, which is why spare batteries must always travel in the cabin.

“We share these tips every peak season because a prepared passenger is a relaxed passenger,” Gordon adds. “The airport experience is so much smoother when people arrive knowing what’s in their bag and what to expect.”

For full baggage guidance and FAQs, visit www.flysafair.co.za.