As per an official statement, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has advised passengers to not carry older generation 15-inch Macbook Pro laptops on flights due to fear that their batteries may overheat and pose a safety risk. The aviation regulatory body has asked passengers to not fly with the affected model in check-in or cabin luggage until the battery has been verified or certified as safe or replaced by the manufacturer.
This move comes after, Apple announced a recall of a limited number of older generation 15-inch Macbook Pro models primarily sold between September 2015 and February 2017. The ban has also been announced by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and American Federal Aviation Administration.
In addition to this, several carriers including Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways have refrained passengers from carrying this model. Singapore Airlines said in a statement, “Customers are to refrain from bringing the affected models either as hand-carry or in checked baggage until the battery has been verified as safe or replaced by the manufacturer. Please visit Apple’s “Macbook Pro Battery Recall Programme” page to get more information on whether your product is affected, as well as on the available battery replacement options.”
Meanwhile, Directorate General of Civil Aviation has advised airport operators to:
- Inform crew, passengers and staff about any restrictions and limitations to carry damaged, defective or recalled lithium batteries or devices onboard.
- Remind passengers to inform the cabin crew when a device is damaged, hot, produces smoke, is lost, or falls into the seat structure.
- Ensure that staff responsible for cargo acceptance and processing is aware that damaged, recalled or potentially hazardous lithium batteries, including those contained in equipment and/ or shipped with equipment, are forbidden to be transported by aircraft as cargo.
- If a damaged, defective or recalled battery or device is noticed to have been carried inadvertently onboard an aircraft, the concerned passenger should be advised to keep the battery or device turned off, protect it from accidental activation and not charge it at any time.
