---
title: "FAA Bans Exploding MacBooks From Airplanes"
description: "The FAA is banning anyone from bringing an Apple recalled MacBook on flights — though it's not clear how it plans to enforce the ban."
date: "2019-08-14"
modified: "2019-08-14"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/recalled-macbooks-banned-airplanes"
categories:
  - "Robots and Machines"
tags:
  - "air travel"
  - "apple"
  - "macbook pro"
  - "the digest"
---

# FAA Bans Exploding MacBooks From Airplanes

![The FAA is banning anyone from bringing an Apple recalled MacBook on flights — though it's not clear how it plans to enforce the ban.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/recalled-macbooks-banned-airplanes.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Apple/Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

## Burning 'Books

In June, [Apple issued a recall](<https://support.apple.com/15-inch-macbook-pro-battery-recall>) on 15-inch MacBook Pros sold between September 2015 and February 2017, after determining that the computers' batteries "may overheat and pose a fire safety risk."

"My MacBook Pro exploded today during normal use," [complained one user](<https://twitter.com/whitepanda/status/1133847982317723648>). "No injuries, luckily. Some damage to the house. Could have been worse — good thing I wasn’t on a plane."

Now, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is [banning](<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-13/u-s-regulator-bans-recalled-apple-laptops-from-flights>) anyone from bringing the recalled MacBooks on flights — though it's not clear how it plans to enforce the ban.

## Here We Go Again

This isn't the first time the FAA has had to deal with [exploding electronic devices](<https://mashable.com/article/macbook-pro-explosion-video-2019/>) — following Apple's latest recall, it pointed airlines toward the [safety instructions](<https://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo/all_safos/media/2016/SAFO16011.pdf>) for recalled batteries it established back in 2016, the year [Samsung's Galaxy Note 7](<https://www.theverge.com/2016/10/10/13238328/samsung-galaxy-note-7-faa-flight-ban>) smartphones were catching fire.

However, even that document notes that "active screening methods at the point of acceptance or check-in may be difficult," since the recalled devices look practically identical to other electronics.

## Total Recall

Thankfully, Apple has offered to replace the [defective batteries](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/apple-iphones-official-batteries>) free of charge.

To find out if your computer is one of the ones affected, visit [Apple's website](<https://support.apple.com/15-inch-macbook-pro-battery-recall>) — ideally, well before your next scheduled flight.

**READ MORE:** [FAA Bans Recalled MacBook Pros From Flight](<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-13/u-s-regulator-bans-recalled-apple-laptops-from-flights>)s \[*Bloomberg*\]

**More on Apple:** *[Apple Update Cracks Down on "Unauthorized" iPhone Batteries](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/apple-iphones-official-batteries>)*

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)