Airports are chaotic places at the best of times. People are in a hurry to catch their flight, stressed about security checks, and concerned if they left anything important at home. In the midst of this,
it can be difficult to remember rules concerning what is allowed in cabin baggage and what is not. A Redditor recently described an alarming experience at the Delhi Airport, claiming that he was hoodwinked and lost his power bank even though it was allowed in cabin baggage.
In his post, the Redditor said that he was “taken for a fool” by a CISF officer regarding his Anker 537 power bank. The user shared his ordeal under the subreddit r/Delhi.
Redditor Claims He Was Duped By CISF Officer Over Power Bank
The user said that he had carried his 24000 mAh power bank, worth Rs 10,000, on flights earlier without any issues and did not expect any problem this time either. However, he was stopped at the security check after his bag went through the scanner. According to the user’s post, a senior CISF officer took out the power bank and said the device wasn’t allowed since its capacity was beyond the limit specified by authorities.
The post continued, “I told him politely that it’s 24000 mAh and asked what the actual limit is. Instead of explaining the rule, he then asked me basic personal details like where I was travelling, whether I was alone, and if it was my first time flying from Delhi.”
The user alleged that the officer took him aside for another thorough frisking. The CISF official refused to answer the user’s questions about power banks allowed on flights and insisted he either leave the device or miss his flight. As per the post, there was “no proper explanation, no written guideline shown, no receipt offered.” The user eventually caved into the demands and left his power bank. Later, he found out that he could have taken the device on the flight.
“Later, when I spoke to a friend who travels frequently, I found out something that made me genuinely upset. As per aviation rules, power banks up to 100 Wh are allowed in cabin baggage. A 24000 mAh power bank typically comes to around 88–90 Wh, which is well within the allowed limit,” the user explained. He felt disappointed that he was misled by the officer.
Fooled at Delhi Airport security, lost my Anker 537 power bank even though it was actually allowed
byu/Acrobatic-Health2681 indelhi
Users Respond To Redditor’s ‘Unfair’ Experience
Many Redditors felt sympathetic about the user’s experience. One user wrote, “Sadly, once the CISF personnel had decided he wanted a power bank, there was nothing you could have done really. They’d have detained you, then left you, with complete impunity. You’d have missed the flight and been stuck at the airport. You should have probably contacted airline staff, and if the power bank was 10k, it was probably worth missing the flight as well!”
Another commented, “You have to fight the most basic stupid points in this country.”
“Next time, just use your phone and search the rule yourself,” a person advised.
“Don’t leave your electronic items in the bag while scanning; take them out and put them alongside the bag on the tray. It gives them an unnecessary checking point,” another mentioned.
Travel Hack For Protecting Electronics
Influencer Rajiv Makhni recently posted about a new scam happening at airports. Under this, people may steal your wallet or phone from the security tray. Sometimes, security officials may be a part of the scheme too.
View this post on Instagram
Makhni advised that travellers must never keep their wallet, phone or credit card on the security tray. Instead, they should keep everything in a bag and put the bag itself on the tray to minimise the chances of theft.
