What's that over there, in those trees? Oh, look: it's China!
From the Shanghai Daily, we learn that three airlines that fly in and out of Shanghai have banned the use of batteries on certain Dell and Apple laptops for fear that they might spontaneously combust. The three airlines are Korean Air, Qantas Airways and Virgin Atlantic. We've organized the information presented in the story below.
Korean Air
- The Ban: "... all Dell laptops and Apple's iBook and Powerbook models must have their batteries disconnected before owners board planes ... passengers must hand in their batteries at check-in, and retrieve them from staff at their destination ..."
- External Power Source: None on flights between China and South Korea
- Website: koreanair.com
Qantas Airways
- The Ban: "... allows Apple laptop batteries to be used on flights but asks Dell owners to disconnect theirs and stow them with their luggage ..."
- External Power Source: Available in first and business class only
- Website: qantas.com.au
Virgin Atlantic
- The Ban: "... passengers must disconnect all Dell and Apple laptop batteries and stow them in their luggage ..."
- External Power Source: First class, "parts" of business class and "only several" economy class passengers have access.
- Website: virgin-atlantic.com
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Seems a bit of an over-reaction really. There's no chance of a lap top being left by itself when it's switched on when you're on a plane. Sou a smouldering lap top isn't exactly going to go un-noticed. So no lap top on your travels. What next?
Given that the problem with the batteries only occur "while they are being charged" this is idiotic. The only place a problem could occur -- and this is still unlikely -- is when a laptop is plugged in in a first/business class seat. Baning people from charging their batteries while in flight would make a grain of sense -- though that would still be an overreaction.
Korean air casuallly asked as I was boarding the plane what laptop brand I had. They confiscated my Dell power cord on the flight there. I guess the person wasn't trained very well, I said, why do you need my power cord? I used my laptop battery on the flight, and got my power cord back after the flight. On the way back, they confiscated my battery this time. And it took me 2 hours to get it from lost and found after arrival.
I asked at the counter, what if I just said I had an HP or Viao? The girl answered smartass and stoically -- "well then, I guess you'd have your laptop battery on the flight then. Move along sir." So much for security issues.