No more Apple MacBook Pro laptops on flights, says DGCA

Aviation regulator DGCA on Monday said passengers should not carry some models of 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops that Apple deemed a safety risk due to overheating batteries.

On June 20, the US-based tech giant had issued a notice on its website regarding the risk posed by the models of the MacBook Pro laptops.

"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.

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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."

According to the data released by DGCA on Thursday, the domestic air passenger traffic in July increased by just 3.01 percent compared to July last year.

The domestic air traffic in July this year consisted of 11.90 million passengers as compared to 11.55 million passengers in the same month last year, a jump of 3.01 percent, as per the data.

In June this year, the domestic passenger growth was 6.19 per cent compared to the same month last year.

The passenger load factor of all the major airlines -- Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir, AirAsia and Vistara -- declined in July as compared to June 2019, as per the data.

IndiGo maintained its lead position with 47.8 percent share of the domestic passenger market in July, the data showed. 

SpiceJet's market share decreased from 15.6 percent in April to 15.5 percent in July, giving it the number two spot, as per the data.

The market share of Air India, GoAir, AirAsia and Vistara were 14.79 per cent, 13.26 per cent, 7.71 per cent and 7.15 per cent, respectively, in July this year. 

Air India topped the list of passenger grievances with 2.1 complaints per 10,000 passengers in July, while SpiceJet was on number two position with 0.8 complaints per 10,000 passengers, as per the DGCA data.

(Edited by Saheli Sen Gupta)

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