2015 MacBook Pro banned from flights due to unsafe batteries

Back in 2016 in the midst of Samsung's battle to recall all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones due to fire risk and unsafe batteries, the U.S banned the phone from being brought on to any flight. Now, Apple has found itself in a similar situation thanks to a recall on the 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro.

We first heard about Apple's MacBook Pro recall in June, which affects the mid-2015 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display. These units were sold between 2015 and 2017 but a battery fault has only just been recently identified, which poses a fire risk. There is a site set up where you can enter your MacBook Pro serial number to check if yours is part of the recall and eligible for a free battery replacement.

Due to the battery issue, the Federal Aviation Administration in the US has now prohibited all recalled models from being taken on flights as cargo or as part of carry-on baggage. We aren't entirely sure how well airport staff will be able to differentiate between a 2015 MacBook Pro and a 2014 version, but there should be guidelines in place so that only those carrying recalled models will be affected.

At this point in time, we are unsure when this U.S flight ban will be lifted, or if those who have opted for a battery replacement will still be able to take their MacBook Pro on a flight.

KitGuru Says: I happen to own an affected MacBook Pro 2015 model, so I guess I won't be taking it over to the U.S any time soon. This does seem like it might be a pain to truly enforce though, especially since prior to the touchbar being introduced, the 15-inch MacBook Pro looked exactly the same for years. 

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