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

[oz_mark]

Yet more security theatre and fake news in my opinion....

You seem to be conflating security and safety. Keep in mind, that in general, defective batteries should not be on aircraft. Go from there...

 

[Kangol]

Do they mean manufactured between, rather than sold between? If you buy from a re-seller, who knows how long the inventory is sitting there before being sold.

Technically one could buy a faulty MacBook after the "sold between" period if it was sitting on the shelf in a re-seller's shop....

I am really keen to hear if this is actually enforced by the airlines and how they actually do it - how can they tell one apart from the other???

If someone actually goes through this drama please share with us all!!

In post #30, the date they are referring to is in the brackets after "Macbook Pro".
The line under the OS version number.
This identifies the model type (or subtype). The retailer or reseller is irrelevant.

 

[Max Samuels]

In post #30, the date they are referring to is in the brackets after "Macbook Pro".
The line under the OS version number.
This identifies the model type (or subtype). The retailer or reseller is irrelevant.

The original story is perhaps misleading by talking about "sold between" dates, when according to Apple it is one particular model "MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)"

The point I was trying to make, was that it is possible to have purchased that model after February 2017 - in fact there could be one still floating around in its box right now.

They should have just run with the model name - and even then, only some serial numbers are affected.

So.... my question still stands: At check-in, unless you go through all the steps described by Apple (see below), in front of the check-in agent, no one actually knows if you have a WMD disguised as a computer or not! And on board? If you are using you MacBook on an airline that allows non-affected Macs, how do you prove it?

"First check to see which 15-inch MacBook Pro you have. Choose About This Mac from the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of your screen. Confirm your model is "MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)." If you have that model, enter your computer's serial number below to see if it is eligible for this program."

Keen to hear some real-life examples of this being enforced.

 

[Mattg]

I flew Virgin twice over the last few days. There were no on-board announcements and I saw people using MacBook Pros on both flights. I didn't check in any luggage, however, so didn't notice if anything had changed there.

 

[Max Samuels]

I flew Virgin twice over the last few days. There were no on-board announcements and I saw people using MacBook Pros on both flights. I didn't check in any luggage, however, so didn't notice if anything had changed there.

And isn't domestic check-in with a machine anyway????

 

[Wong.a]

Looks like Qantas at least has reversed their decision regarding the banning of 15" MacBook Pros, at least according to their text support agents. There's also very little information about it now on their website.

Has anyone been approached by the cabin crew yet?

 

[Ade]

International flight last week out of SYD - there was a laminated page left at every check in counter and the passengers were verbally asked if they'd a MacBook Pro with them as a carry on or in the check in. The passengers were also asked to read through the laminated page before providing their confirmation.

 

[Max Samuels]

Flown 4 more sectors since I last posted re this..... nothing mentioned still

 

[Max Samuels]

So I guess this was mainly fake news in the end?
I have flown at least 12 domestic sectors since this began, on QF, VA and JQ, not once was it even mentioned...

 

[Kangol]

On a social media group I'm in, I saw a post about someone boarding an ?EK flight with everyone's laptops being inspected.
There was one report of them confiscating the Macbook pro 15" laptop and not allowing it onboard - as per the FAA.
I don't know what happened after that.
The FAA rules are the rules, whether they are enforced in general is another matter, whether they are enforced on your flight is also another matter.
Do it at your own risk, and the risk of everyone on your flight...

 

[Max Samuels]

Do it at your own risk, and the risk of everyone on your flight...

I think that is a bit melodramatic? The counter argument, of course, is that much of this is security "theatre" - something I haven't made up, and is actually discussed by academics and even US Congress people at length... the point being, if it were a "real" threat, they wouldn't rely on the honesty of passengers to do the right thing....

 

[Kangol]

I think that is a bit melodramatic? The counter argument, of course, is that much of this is security "theatre" - something I haven't made up, and is actually discussed by academics and even US Congress people at length... the point being, if it were a "real" threat, they wouldn't rely on the honesty of passengers to do the right thing....

The first link on Google:

Images show off the reason for the 15-inch MacBook Pro's battery recall

Apple recently announced a battery recall and replacement program for the 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro, and new images show just how important it is to get the battery replaced.

www.idownloadblog.com

This was a spontaneous fire.

Imagine this happening on an airplane. In an overhead bin.

If an unplugged laptop with screen closed and in sleep mode can catch fire and it was a known issue, and people still took them on a plane when it was already banned because of this risk, then you tell us if that is melodramatic.

I'm guessing you already knew about the spontaneous nature of these fires .. and are just playing this off as a prank.

It's quite clear you believe there is no fire risk and nothing will change your mind, despite all evidence showing you otherwise.