Airlines banning MacBook Pros [in checked luggage and use onboard]

[calmelb]

Hey all,

Just saw this on Executive Traveller that QF are banning all MacBook Pros for use inflight. The statement is quite vague but does this mean someone with a 13" MBP won't be allowed to use their laptop even though it's not included in the recall. Link to article

Seems a little heavy handed (especially the reaction from VA too)

 

[mviy]

Indeed. Surely their staff could have a list of affected models? The model number is shown on the bottom of the Mac.

Anyone with a 15" MBP running OS X could easily show that they don't have a model in the affected date range.

Having said this, whilst I do sometimes bring a laptop with me on a plane, I would very rarely use it during the flight and would never put it in the cargo hold unless the airline forces hand baggage to be put in the hold.

 

[flydoc]

According to news.com.au, Virgin Australia have placed a blanket ban on Apple MacBooks being carried as checked baggage due to the risk of the factory-fitted battery overheating in a specific MacBook Pro cohort, while the Qantas group have reportedly gone further and also banned their use inflight.

This will apply to all MacBook users

Australian travellers on a Qantas or Virgin Australia flight have been banned from taking any Apple MacBooks in their checked-in luggage following global concern over certain units catching on fire.

www.news.com.au

No banner alerts regarding this on either the Qantas or Virgin homepages as of 1700 AEST, but will be interesting to see how it evolves.

(Mods- is this more appropriate for the Travel News thread?)

 

[JessicaTam]

(Mods- is this more appropriate for the Travel News thread?)

Done.

In future it is better to report a thread, as we may not see a comment in a post.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I thought all laptops were required to be carried in cabin baggage anyway.

 

[Jonesaus]

anyone heard of it being enforced yet?

 

[calmelb]

I thought all laptops were required to be carried in cabin baggage anyway.

They're not required but highly recommended for a safety perspective as the items may be stolen.

anyone heard of it being enforced yet?

Given it was only introduced today I don't believe the crew would have been trained in time. I can't see the ban getting locked in until next week at the earliest

 

[moa999]

You can't expect staff to be checking individual part numbers so a blanket ban on something easily identifiable is simplest.

As fragile items laptops shouldn't be in checked baggage.
Virgins ban seems somewhat ineffective if you can still be operating then..

I'd have thought the greatest risk is from actually charging them - this is when batteries are typically under greatest load.

 

[calmelb]

I'd have thought the greatest risk is from actually charging them - this is when batteries are typically under greatest load.

I remember going back a few years (more like a decade but that makes me feel old) where you couldn’t charge devices on the planes and only run laptops with battery removed

 

[oz_mark]

In the case of Virgin, it is on the dangerous goods page

Dangerous goods information | Virgin Australia

Dangerous goods/hazardous materials are items or substances that may endanger the safety of the aircraft or guests on board. Find out about dangerous goods restrictions here.

www.virginaustralia.com

 

[samh004]

What a joke.

It's like grounding all Boeings in your fleet because of the 737 Max issue.

That said, I have never checked a laptop in, so this will not affect me, and I don't watch movies or work on my MacBook on the plane, I use their inflight entertainment. So this ban will not affect me, despite it's heavy handedness.

I was under the impression the US airlines had banned the particular 15" MacBook model entirely, and not any other models. I am not sure how US check-in staff are more able to identify computer models than Australian staff! And I read SIA and Thai have done the same, only banning particular models in their entirety.

 

[calmelb]

What a joke.

It's like grounding all Boeings in your fleet because of the 737 Max issue.

That said, I have never checked a laptop in, so this will not affect me, and I don't watch movies or work on my MacBook on the plane, I use their inflight entertainment. So this ban will not affect me, despite it's heavy handedness.

I was under the impression the US airlines had banned the particular 15" MacBook model entirely, and not any other models. I am not sure how US check-in staff are more able to identify computer models than Australian staff! And I read SIA and Thai have done the same, only banning particular models in their entirety.

SIA are just banning those which hadn’t done the recall. Any of those that were fixed are okay (at least from what I read)

 

[DavidFlynn]

No banner alerts regarding this on either the Qantas or Virgin homepages as of 1700 AEST, but will be interesting to see how it evolves.

Only being posted on baggage policy page, QF updated its page this morning, see Dangerous goods | Qantas AU

 

[DavidFlynn]

Update: Qantas has this morning revised its ban on using all MacBook Pro laptops in flight, saying the ruling now applies only to "all 15 inch Apple MacBook Pros” rather than the smaller 13-inch MacBook Pro models.

 

[calmelb]

Only being posted on baggage policy page, QF updated its page this morning, see Dangerous goods | Qantas AU

I may be blind but I can't seem to find the mention of the MacBooks on the dangerous goods webpage

 

[DavidFlynn]

Quite right, QF PR said it'd been updated but seems not!

 

[get me outta here]

How are they supposed to see which model is which with any certainty in the limited time is why they are tempted to ban everything until they sort out this mess.

 

[Quickstatus]

I have one of those affected (Macbook Pro) 2015 15in MBP. Serial number checked.
Just means I get a new free battery to replace a 3.5 year old battery. Already booked in with Genius Bar for Friday.
I dont use the MBP inflight anyway and I dont fly TG. So not an issue for me

Understand QF/VA position. There is no way of verifying each MBP.

 

[Quickstatus]

Ive tried in the past to do some work inflight. Never found myself very productive. So I've used that time looking out the window if I get a window seat, watching some movies, reading a book and generally kicking back.
So long as I can take it with me, I dont have a problem.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I find my MBP useful during the 45 minutes it takes the QF FAs to set up the drinks trolley but after the first gin and tonic I may be less productive.
Happily its 13" so I can continue in the same mode!