SriLankan flights ban MacBook Pro laptops

National carrier SriLankan Airlines has joined the growing number of international airlines to ban all fire-prone Apple MacBook Pro laptops from cargo and carry-on luggage, the airline announced today.

The ban comes as Apple determined that some of its older-generation 15-inch MacBook Pro units had batteries that could overheat and pose a fire safety risk. Affected units were mainly sold between September 2015 and February 2017, prompting a battery recall by Apple.

Issuing a statement, the airlines urged passengers to verify their device by following the link to Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program. “Passengers are requested to verify with Apple if their devices are affected by the recall. They will be requested upon check-in to produce such verifications or proof that the battery has been replaced. In the absence of such verification, their devices will not be allowed in as checked-in or carry-on luggage,” the airline added.

For more information, passengers can contact the SriLankan Airlines 24-hour Contact Center on +94117771979.

Foreign news agencies reported that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last month announced it had alerted major US airlines about Apple’s recall. The FAA reminded airlines to follow 2016 safety instructions for goods with recalled batteries, which means the affected Apple laptops should not be taken on flights as cargo or carry-on baggage.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued its own warning about the particular MacBook Pro models on August 1, the report added.