Don’t fly with older MacBook Pro, says DGCA over fears of battery fire

New Delhi, Aug 26: Aviation regulator DGCA on Monday said passengers should not carry models of 15-inch MacBook Pro that Apple deemed a safety risk due to overheating of the laptop batteries.

The regulator, later in the day, asked airlines to inform passengers, flight crew and other staff about the "restrictions and limitations" for carrying a "damaged, defective or recalled lithium batteries or devices" on board any aircraft.

Apple had on June 20 issued a notice on its website regarding the risk posed by the models of MacBook Pro.

"Apple has determined that, in a limited number of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro units, the battery may overheat and pose a fire safety risk.

Affected units were sold primarily between September 2015 and February 2017 and product eligibility is determined by the product serial number," it added.

The company said it has voluntarily decided to replace affected batteries free of charge. DGCA chief Arun Kumar tweeted, "Consequent upon the recall of a limited number of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops by Apple Inc (sold primarily between September 2015 and February 2017) due to fears that their batteries may overheat and pose a safety risk, DGCA requests all air passengers not to fly with the affected models either as hand-baggage or checked-in baggage until the battery has been verified/certified as safe or replaced by the manufacturer."

Later during the day, Kumar issued an advisory for the airlines regarding transport of "damaged, defective or recalled lithium batteries by air".

The advisory said the airlines should remind passengers of the need to immediately inform the cabin crew when a device is "damaged, hot, produces smoke, is lost, or falls into the seat structure".

It advised the airlines to ensure that staff responsible for "cargo acceptance and processing" is fully aware that damaged, recalled or potentially hazardous lithium batteries are forbidden to be transported by aircraft as cargo.

If a damaged, defective or recalled battery or device is notice on board a flight, the passenger concerned should be advised to keep the battery or device turned off, protect it from accidental activation, and not charge it at any time, the advisory said.