Back in June, Apple announced its decision to recall some 2015 MacBook Pros because of a defective battery that were at risk of overheating and catching fire. Now, the FAA is reminding airlines that those laptops are banned from flights.
In a statement to NPR, the aviation authority said, "The FAA is aware of the recalled batteries that are used in some Apple MacBook Pro laptops. In early July, we alerted airlines about the recall, and we informed the public."
The advisory is pursuant to 2016 rules issued by the FAA that ban any products that have been recalled due to safety concerns from being taken on flights. The agency's web page on dangerous goods reads:
"If a product that is dangerous goods or that contains a dangerous goods component (e.g., battery) is subject to a safety recall related to the dangerous goods, it must not be carried aboard an aircraft or in baggage unless the recalled product/component has been replaced or repaired or otherwise made safe per manufacturer/vendor instructions."
The EU's regulatory body for aviation safety issued a similar warning about the MacBook Pros models as well, and Bloomberg reports that some airlines have taken to also banning the laptops on their flights, namely TUI Group Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines, Air italy, and Air Transat.
Source: Bloomberg (paywall), NPR
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