I see that a guy couldn't board an Alaska airlines plane because his electric wheelchair didn't have its info attached. Looks like airline flubbed it, Delta took him on. I thought he couldn't because of the batteries. But, no! Just didn't have the info attached as per normal. (Disabled vet claims Alaska Airlines violated federal law by refusing to allow checked wheelchair | king5.com https://share.google/02Tzn1UOURYBMEgfn)
So, why not our ebikes? I love to bike tour, but at 73, I prefer to use an ebike. However, unless traveling by train, I can't take my bike to start a tour by airplane since the battery is too big. How can we get this system?
by Xxmeow123
8 Comments
Do you physically require your ebike to board the plane?
Because ebike batteries have a history of burning. You really don’t want a lithium fire on an aircraft
As of this year (2025) there is a new law in China that all batteries sold there need to meet fire safely requirements. I hope that this will ease a lot of the anti-battery laws. In addition there is a new thing in the battery world. [Sodium Ion batteries](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPCaq-Him0Q) are [now](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSPSCC3_hHw) [available](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NvkJiAFGDM) for purchase. This thing is in it’s infancy right now but I hope that soon we will be able to buy these highly fire resistant batteries and that the airlines will let them on without trouble.
Is it possible to buy or rent a battery at your destination? I realize this is not ideal but it might be a work around.
I’m guessing the wheelchair doesn’t have lithium batteries.
In the US, because it’s legally required per ADA. Anything otherwise would be akin to an airline/FAA saying “no legs allowed on the plane”.
Also a LARGE part of why durable medical equipment is so expensive is the insanely rigorous safety certification they require (can’t have a battery burning up someone who physically can’t get out of the chair unassisted)
That said as somebody with (too much) experience getting battery powered mobility devices on planes… it is a royal PITA approaching 100% of the time, despite the legal right to bring them on board.
I believe ADA has a specific carve out in the legislation saying bikes aren’t mobility aids.
Bikes just don’t have the same regulatory system as medical devices. The bike industry went state to state classify e-bikes, but I don’t think there’s federal legislation. Meanwhile, a lot of people depend on Ali Baba or direct to consumer e-bikes. These are the ones causing fires. You can even buy stickers on Etsy to claim you’ve got a regulated e-bike.
Until there’s more reliable standards you can’t fake your way around, airlines are very safety minded. I don’t see them changing on their own. It’d help a ton if unregulated batteries didn’t cause fires.
Have you ever heard of e wheelchair batteries blowing up?
One is a mobility device that the users fought long and hard to get protections for by law the other is not typically classed that way even if sometimes used as such.
If you knew the drama wheelchair users go through trying to get the chairs transported safely and delivered to the gate in a timely manner you wouldn’t be asking this.
POTUS recently announced that he planned to roll back rights around wheelchairs and planes so.. maybe help folk impacted by that before you try to claim your bike should also be allowed on board.
Did you know we’re also allowed liquids over 100ml and oxygen cannisters on board? It would be far more convenient to not have to travel with so much stuff to survive but there we are. My chair is fitted to me btw I can’t just borrow one when I get there. I believe hire bikes exist though.