National carrier SriLankan Airlines yesterday announced a ban on Apple MacBook Pro laptops from both cargo and cabin luggage on the basis of a fire hazard.The airline’s announcement came in the wake of Apple company determining recently that some of its older-generation 15-inch MacBook Pro units had batteries that could overheat and pose a fire safety risk. This had prompted a laptop battery recall by Apple.A SriLankan statement said Apple had determined that, in a limited number of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro units, the battery may overheat and pose a fire hazard.The affected units were mainly sold between September 2015 and February 2017.
SriLankan passengers are urged to verify their device by following the link to Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Programme. “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 are asked to contact the SriLankan Airlines 24-hour Contact Centre on +94117771979.
