First there was the worldwide problem with Samsung phone batteries catching fire and then being banned. This battery problem is expanding. If it has become such an issue in the U.S. you can bet other areas of the world will soon embrace bans – some low cost carriers in the Europe have also done this.
Thinking of working from the plane? Think again. US authorities have banned 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops from all domestic flights, citing concerns over the safety of the product’s battery pack.
The US Federal Aviation Administration‘s (FAA) ban comes shortly after Apple recalled select versions of the MacBook Pro due to batteries that may “overheat and pose a safety risk”
BE SPECIFIC, WHICH MODEL ARE WE TALKING?
Versions of the laptop recalled by Apple are the 15-inch models with Retina displays sold between September 2015 and February 2019. Owners of the product were told to switch off the computer and return it to an Apple store for a free battery replacement, Forbes.com reported.
Despite the initiative to restore safety to the product, the FAA has advised travellers that they are unable to bring the model aboard a domestic vessel, regardless of whether it’s checked in or carried on.
WHAT DID THE FAA SAY?
In a statement, the Administration said it was “aware of the recalled batteries that are used in some Apple MacBook Pro laptops”. It continued saying that major airlines have been alerted to the ban.
“Passenger carriage of defective/recalled lithium batteries and devices with lithium batteries installed may also be restricted depending on the nature of the risk and the recall safety instructions.”
US Federal Aviation Administration
