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FAA has banned recalled 2015 15-inch MacBook Pros from flights in the U.S.

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MacBook Lineup (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • The recalled 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro has been banned on all flights within the U.S. by the FAA.
  • The FAA made the decision due to the fire risk the recalled notebook poses.
  • If you are unsure if your laptop is affected by the issue, you can check on Apple's site.

The Federal Aviation Administration has banned the recalled 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro from all flights in the U.S., reports Bloomberg. Apple voluntarily recalled the laptops back in June as they posed a fire risk leading directly to the FAA's decision.

The recalled MacBook Pro follows the same ban as the Galaxy Note 7, which too suffered from a faulty battery issue leading to randomly combusting incidents. The affected 2015 MacBook Pro models were sold between September 2015 and February 2017.

The FAA responded to a statement by The Verge:

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. We issued reminders to continue to follow instructions about recalls outlined in the 2016 FAA Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 16011, and provided information provided to the public on FAA's Packsafe website: https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/

As The Verge points out, that statement seems to not solely focus on the recalled MacBook Pro because it would be a very hard ban to enforce. Only a limited number fo 2015 15-inch MacBook Pros are included in the ban.

Furthermore, it's hard to distinguish MacBooks in general. Currently I use a 2014 13-inch MacBook Pro, and it looks just like the recalled model just slightly smaller. The only way to confirm would be to look at the serial number, something we doubt flight attendants would go to the trouble of.

In any case, we understand the FAA's intent. In fact, it shouldn't even come to that. Owners of similar MacBook Pro models should go to Apple stores and get their batteries replaced as soon as they can. It will save you a load of trouble. Enter your serial number on Apple's dedicated site to confirm if your computer is affected by the recall.