Dell is having a little issue with 4.1 million batteries in their laptops (if you have a Dell laptop check out this site to make sure yours isn't on the list). This isn't good news for Dell, however, it would seem that it isn't good news for Dell toting travelers either. Qantas, the Australian airline, has just put in a place a policy stating that people can bring Dell laptops with them on the plane but can't use them on battery power. The batteries must be popped out and the laptops plugged into an outlet (if there is one available).I'm sure Dell is hoping that other airlines do not follow suit, especially since I would wager that a large number of business travelers 'got a Dell.'
Thanks, Gordon.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-23-2006 @ 11:32AM
jason said...
This is not good news for Dell...
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8-23-2006 @ 11:33AM
Rae said...
Interesting. Hopefully US airlines won't follow suit. My wife's Dell notebook was affected by the recall, and she'll be getting her replacement battery soon. We're taking a flight in about a month, and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be too pleased with having to pop out her NEW battery.
(Of course, I'll be on the plane w/ my MacBook, so . . . no worries. :))
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8-23-2006 @ 11:54AM
Chris Meisenzahl said...
Ouch!
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8-23-2006 @ 11:56AM
Pedro said...
sorry dude... your getting and exploding dell
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8-23-2006 @ 11:58AM
Matt Morton said...
Dells on a Plane bwahahahahaha!
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8-23-2006 @ 11:59AM
Brent K said...
What kind of man uses a MacBook, and let's his wife use a Dell???? I think that's grounds for divorce in some states!!!
/
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8-23-2006 @ 12:15PM
Aaron said...
What ahppens when a commercial airline jet is attacked by exploding Dells?..............Dells on a Plane! Now showing in Apple Stores everywhere.
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8-23-2006 @ 12:26PM
Gordon Werner said...
This is a serious problem ... while an exploding latop created fire might be easily brought under-control ... fire on an aircraft is NEVER a good thing.
More importantly ... what happens when another brand of laptop has a similar problem. The last thing I want is to give the TSA another reason to ban something on a flight.
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8-23-2006 @ 1:07PM
Jon said...
Eventually everything will be banned on a flight, including clothes (they're inventing "smart" clothes with electronics built into them, so it's feasible). And then they'll strap you into your seat, Clockwork Orange-style, and not let you leave until the flight has finished.
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8-23-2006 @ 1:20PM
Scott F said...
>And then they'll strap you into your seat, Clockwork Orange-style, and not let you leave until the flight has finished.
And the in-flight movie will be The Pink Panther, and you won't even be able to blink! That'll make a lot of air travellers suicidal. Is that a good idea?
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8-23-2006 @ 1:21PM
dameetch said...
let's not forget who makes those macbook pro/mac book batteries
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8-23-2006 @ 1:31PM
kevin said...
i forgot
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8-23-2006 @ 1:46PM
Eric E said...
I am sick and tired of these mothereffing Dells on this mothereffing plane!
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8-23-2006 @ 1:51PM
Andrew Turner said...
What's interesting is that various models of Dell *won't start* without a battery in-place. So would someone startup their computer with the battery & then remove it?
While the idea is for the passenger's own safety to not use the battery, there will definitely be people breaking this rule.
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8-23-2006 @ 3:05PM
teelo said...
Yeah! Screw those Dells! I am glad I have my perfect MacBook, not a problem in sight. Oh, wait, except for the sudden shutdowns that apple is unable to repair reliably. Oh well, not their fault, right? After all, they are apple. Infallible.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=600167&tstart=0
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8-23-2006 @ 3:11PM
m said...
For a second there I thought this was an Apple news blog.
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8-23-2006 @ 4:29PM
Greg Owens said...
There was a change to QANTAS's policy yesterday. You can use the Dell EITHER with the battery in and not connected to in-seat power OR connected to power with the battery out. Getting better!!!
I do appreciate that the QANTAS people don't read the Apple website with it's battery recalls :-)
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8-23-2006 @ 4:45PM
GooMan said...
"What kind of man uses a MacBook, and let's his wife use a Dell????"
Me. ;-)
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8-23-2006 @ 7:28PM
Rae said...
#6: "What kind of man uses a MacBook, and let's his wife use a Dell???? I think that's grounds for divorce in some states!!!"
LOL. I don't think that my authority as head of household extends to what brand of computers are "allowed" to be used.
And if it does, I don't want it to.
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