On this week TWIT (this Week in Tech) podcast they mentioned that Virgin and Qantas have banned Dell and Apple laptops from being carried in the passenger cabin due the risk of the batteries catching fire. They must be checked. Cause, ya know, a fire in the cargo bay is preferable to one where there are people around to deal with it.
I don't get it... Checking the battery with the laptop is OK, but checking the battery without the laptop isn't?
Also, I have one Apple laptop subject to the recall (the mostly-destroyed one from my accident) and one that isn't (the new MacBook Pro.) So if I have one that isn't subject to the recall I still have to check it?
On this week TWIT (this Week in Tech) podcast they mentioned that Virgin and Qantas have banned Dell and Apple laptops from being carried in the passenger cabin due the risk of the batteries catching fire. They must be checked.
And just one week ago, my company came out with this common directive:
Special care should be exercised in protecting laptop computers, BlackBerries and other personal digital assistants (PDAs) from theft.
Do not leave a laptop, BlackBerry or PDA unattended or in a non-secure area at any time when off company premises.
a. Never leave a laptop in a vehicle or unsecured in a hotel room. b. Laptops, BlackBerries and PDAs are not to be left on a desk after office hours and should be locked in a desk drawer or cabinet when not in use. c. Do not place a laptop computer in checked baggage when traveling. d. Sensitive and confidential data stored on BlackBerries, PDAs and similar devices should be password protected. e. Laptops, BlackBerries and PDAs should be adequately protected from accidental damage when traveling. Never place a laptop, BlackBerry or PDA unprotected in a bag or suitcase unless specifically designed for such use. BlackBerries or PDAs should not be carried in pockets or purses without adequate protection.
I've not done a lot of research on this but from what I've read and heard...the division of Sony that makes those batteries is very profitable. They make the batteries for lots of varied devices including many brands of laptop computers, hand held electronic devices, cameras, etc. The part I'm sure of is if they are the leading manufacture in that segment of the battery industry, they very well may be.
The wide diversification of Japanese manufacturing firms always amazes me.
Seems to me a more rational "solution" would be to come up with a viable means of handling a battery fire in flight. Chances are the first one to occur won't be in a Dell or Apple laptop but I do expect that a battery fire will happen on an airliner some day. Some fire resistant gloves for the crew and a fire resistant container to dump the burning components into would go a lot further safetywise than any device bans.
And if they do need a ban, it should be as specific as the battery recall list.
Cause, ya know, a fire in the cargo bay is preferable to one where there are people around to deal with it.
