Update: While airlines in the US were the first to impose a ban on stricken Macbook Pro laptops, others around the world followed suit, following US and EU warnings.
Virgin Airlines in Australia is the most recent to have the ban touched models can be stowed in luggage, although they are still allowed in hand luggage. Most other airlines enforce a strict ban on affected laptops until the battery can be tested.
Other such airlines include Singapore Airlines (Sia), Thai Airways, and all flights within Vietnam and India. We expect the ban will likely effect more airlines in the coming weeks.
[Original article continues below]
Certain MacBook Pro 15-inch models have been identified as a fire hazard by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and have been banned from being taken on airplanes.
Back in June, Apple initiated a recall for certain models of MacBook Pro 15-inch laptops sold between September 2015 and February 2017 for battery replacement. At the time, the company noted that these portable devices may contain batteries that could overheat and pose a safety risk.
- MacBooks with 5G coming in 2020?
- How to reset macbook
- Check out all the best cheap macbook pro deals
This applies to a limited number of these notebooks, and you can check if your MacBook Pro has been hit by this problem (and still can) by entering your serial number here.
This means that the FAA has warned major US airlines about it, noting that it is "aware of the recalled batteries that are used in some Apple notebook laptops," as Bloomberg reports.
Airlines have been told to comply with safety regulations starting in 2016 for items with batteries under recall, meaning these affected MacBooks cannot be taken on flights due to potential fire risk (if they have a battery replaced with an apple) .
Bloomberg notes that it has received internal documents showing that this week four airlines - TUI Group Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines, Air Italy, and Air Transat - banned the MacBook Pro models in question.
These airlines all have a cargo side of their operations managed by the entire cargo of knowledge, and what the firm has already told employees: “Please note that 15-inch Apple MacBooks and laptops sold between mid-2015 and February 2017 are prohibited on board any of our mandated carriers” .
Laptops are prohibited from both the cargo hold, and from the aircraft cabin in the cabin.
We contacted Apple to find out more and the company told us that customers should check to see if their MacBook Pro is affectedand if so, have them replace the batteries as soon as possible, especially if they plan to travel.
Departure troubles?
Bloomberg also claims that airport staff will make announcements about these iPhones at the landing, and to flight attendants before takeoff.
This, however, raises a number of questions. If someone is carrying a 15-inch MacBook Pro, how exactly do airport employees check if it's the model?
Also, devices that have had their battery replaced won't get banned – but if airport staff find the traveler was one of the units reminded that if the owner claims the battery has been replaced, how is that then checked by staff?
None of this practical implementation of the ban appears from the information disclosed so far, and it's not too hard to imagine what it could do for some thorny issues and frustrations for MacBook Pro owners to land on.
In Europe, the Aviation Safety Watchdog (EASA) doesn't go as far as outright banning affected MacBook Pros, but if one of the laptops is on board European flights, it's necessary to be turned off and not used (or charged) at all.
You can also remember that a few years ago, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was famously banned from all of us flights and branded a serious safety risk on the fiery front.
- Check out the best laptops of 2019