More than two months after Apple launched a recall for certain older MacBooks, Virgin Australia is responding with a drastic measure. On an information page, the airline strongly advises its customers that Apple's MacBooks may be temporarily brought on board only in hand luggage and are no longer allowed in the checked baggage. Specifically, the airline states that this applies to "all Apple MacBooks" of any size and year of manufacture.
The airline Quantas reacts with similar, though not so serious restrictions on Apple's recall. A spokesman for the airline said to the tech magazine "ZDNet": "For the time being, all 15-inch Apple MacBooks have to be carried in hand luggage and kept off."
Thai Airways and Singapore Airlines, however, do not banish all MacBooks indiscriminately, but the devices recalled by Apple completely out of their aircraft. They must not be taken in hand luggage.
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In Virgin Australia, even these MacBooks are no longer in the baggage, although they are not affected by the recall
The airlines justify the sometimes drastic measure with a recall Apple had announced in June. However, this only applies to MacBook Pro models with 15-inch screen, which were sold mainly between September 2015 and February 2017. With these devices, the battery could overheat, which is why Apple exchanges it for free. Whether a device is affected by the recall can be found on this page.
Both the European aviation authority EASA and the American FAA had warned airlines of Apple's recall and stated that the carrying of damaged or recalled aircraft batteries should only be allowed in hand luggage and only when switched off.
Do not forget the serial number
Some airlines had already responded in mid-August and introduced restrictions on the transport of the MacBooks in question. Thus, one finds on an information page of TUIfly with reference to Apple's recall the note that the airline "only intact devices" transport devices and "in suspicion defective devices will not allow for transport" will.
Singapore Airlines points out in a FAQ document that the ban refers exclusively to devices whose battery has not yet been replaced. Once the replacement has been done, you can also bring back an affected by the recall older 15-inch MacBook Pro back on board. As a rule, one obviously wants to rely on the information provided by the passengers.
If you want to fly with such a notebook after the battery replacement at Singapore Airlines, but should, as a precaution, have the serial number of the device at hand, if the staff at the airport wanted to check the information.
