macbook pro ban on flights

In case you missed it—last month the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that certain MacBook Pros will not be allowed on planes. Not only in your carry-on baggage—you can’t put it in your checked bags, either.

The new rule comes after Apple announced a recall of 15-inch MacBook Pro batteries in June of this year. as The batteries in a limited number of laptops sold between September 2015 and February 2017 could overheat and pose a fire safety risk.

You can find the new rule is posted on the FAA's PackSafe for Passengers web page, but it’s tricky to find and less-than-helpful, because it doesn’t call out any product or brand names).

If you’ve got one of these models with a recalled battery, you’ve got options—you can leave your laptop at home, of course, but you can also contact Apple to get your battery replaced. Once your battery’s been replaced, we recommend that you travel with a document that shows that the faulty battery has been changed out, just in case a TSA agent or airline employee raises the issue when you’re traveling.

Travel is more difficult and complicated than ever before. The ban on a laptop battery is just one issue. Geopolitical tensions, the grounding of the 737Max aircraft, extreme weather events, forest fires, Brexit—there are so many external factors that can complicate travel. It’s another reason to use a professional travel advisor to plan your travel. We stay on top of the latest developments on behalf of our clients, and we’ve got relationships with travel providers in the industry to troubleshoot, if issues arise.