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Some Airlines Banning All MacBook Pros From Checked Luggage and Preventing Use During Flights
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The man who oversaw Apple’s growth in market capitalization from $300B to $900B is “not CEO material”?
News to shareholders, I’m sure.
Yes. Faulty batteries have started cargo hold fires.
https://www.consumerreports.org/faa/battery-fire-in-delta-cargo-hold/
I understand not allowing them in the cargo hold. They have been a couple of tragic plane crashes due to batteries catching fire in the hold, such us that UPS 747 incident.
However, not allowing their use in their cabin... give me a break. Just train the cabin crew to be mindful of burnt chemical smells and make sure they know where the fire extinguisher are.
However, not allowing their use in their cabin... give me a break. Just train the cabin crew to be mindful of burnt chemical smells and make sure they know where the fire extinguisher are.
The first commercial Li-Ion battery wasn't made until 1991 by Sony. That plane crashed in 1987.
Alright, if they’re going to do it that they might as well ban any laptop with a lithium ion battery. In other words, ban all laptops.
Apple needs to offer a water marked one application/void upon removal sticker identifying these notebooks as certified by Apple and obtainable at any Apple store or authorized repair center. And communicate the meaning to airlines and security. Simple and straight forward putting verification as Apple’s responsibility and not clog up security lines.
Following Apple's recall of some 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro models with faulty batteries, airlines around the world are starting to implement bans, some of which affect other non-impacted MacBook Pro models.
Qantas airlines, for example, told Bloomberg that all 15-inch MacBook Pro models are banned from checked luggage and must remain switched off for the duration of the flight. That ban applies not only to machines with faulty batteries, but also perfectly fine MacBook Pro models not subject to recall.
Virgin Australia, meanwhile, has banned "all Apple MacBooks" from checked luggage, requiring customers to put their MacBooks in their carry-on luggage.
Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways have both posted warnings on their website letting customers know that affected 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro models cannot be brought on board at all unless those models have received a replacement battery.
At the beginning of August, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued warnings to aircraft operators reminding them that affected 15-inch MacBook Pro models with faulty batteries should be kept switched off during flight.
The United States Federal Aviation Administration gave similar warnings to U.S. airlines, reminding them of recall rules that prevent affected MacBook Pro models that have not received replacement batteries from being placed in checked luggage. United Airlines, one of the major operators in the U.S., asks passengers not to use affected models during flight.
Apple launched a voluntary recall and replacement program for 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro models sold between September 2015 and February 2017 as the models contain batteries that can overheat and pose a fire safety risk.
Apple has been offering free replacement batteries since June and a 15-inch MacBook Pro that has had a battery repair is no longer in danger of overheating and can be safely used on airplanes and other locations.
Unfortunately, there is no easy way for an airline to determine what year a MacBook Pro is from and further, whether it's had a battery replacement, which is leading to confusing rules on MacBook Pro usage that vary from airline to airline. Difficulty checking model numbers also makes it hard to enforce bans, and it's not clear how strict each airline is with the rules, which could lead to some non-banned models being flagged.
Customers who have a 15-inch MacBook Pro from 2015 who have not replaced the battery should contact Apple immediately for a free replacement. Apple sold approximately 432,000 potentially affected units in the United States, along with 26,000 in Canada.
Article Link: Some Airlines Banning All MacBook Pros From Checked Luggage and Preventing Use During Flights
I think you've got it the wrong way around. You can no longer put it in checked luggage but must carry it with you. I'm not sure this'll affect many people as most would carry their laptops onboard anyway.
It’s a damn disaster no matter how you try to spin this. Yeah, is one model. But they all look alike and airlines aren’t going to take the time to figure out which model or year it is. This will be the cause of countless headaches and a DISASTROUS hit to brand image. Yeesh. And as far as Apple being a service / wearables company, LOL. That all hinges on iPhone. No Apple Watch success without iPhone. No iCloud success without iPhone. No Apple Music without iPhone etc. I don’t care where their revenue comes from, pretending like they aren’t an iPhone company is simply delusional. It’s still 48% of their revenue.
But the first laptop with rechargeable batteries was sold in 1982.
One of my coworkers had his affected 15" MBP serviced. It took him 1.5 weeks for a turn around. I suspect that is one of the big deterrents for getting their Macs serviced. If you ask me, Apple should start providing a loaner for Mac repairs.
Also, Apple should use push notification on affected Macs.
Also, Apple should use push notification on affected Macs.
NiCd and lead acid batteries are very different than Li-Ion. They aren't made with an electrolyte that's basically as flammable as gasoline. They don't continue to burn in the absence of air. That's why Li-Ion batteries are a specific hazard.
NiCd and lead acid batteries are not flammable by themselves; a lead acid battery is a bunch of lead plates and acid, they're worried more about the acid leaking.
Similarly, lithium metal batteries are even more dangerous because they contain metal that is reactive with water. They are even more tightly restricted than Li-Ion.
In sum, batteries are all very different and the hazards are not comparable.
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As annoying as this is, its the only way that any sort of ban was going to work. No one is going to look at serial numbers or ask for the laptop to be booted up to show that its OK and not part of the ban.
Any charged battery can cause a fire if shorted.
Quite understandable really, sure it’s being over protective, but safety is always number one priority with a passenger aircraft.
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We ship everything separately so it's properly insured and likely to arrive. Relying on the airlines checked bags for something critical is just asking for trouble. I've had my bags lost too many times when I've been forced to check something, so even then I bring an 'emergency' kit in my carry on.
The problem with that logic is that not all laptops with a lithium ion battery have been recalled.
The airlines have been told to look out for a specific 15" macbook pro, but as someone that used to fly for a living I can tell you that most aren't going to entertain a passenger who says "mine has been fixed" or "this isn't affected". A blanket response is always the best response in these situations. Unfortunately that response hinders the customer a bit, but the safety of the other 200 souls on board is more important than three or four people that are inconvenienced by the policy.
And, Apple reassures ... just a small number were affected.
[Sadly, the airlines do not drink kool-aid.]