FAA bans select MacBook Pros from flights due to a battery recall
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a flight ban on select Apple MacBook Pro laptop computers after Apple recalled the batteries from these computers due to possible fire risk. The impacted computers are 15-inch MacBook Pros with Retina that were sold between mid-2015 and February of 2017.  

Recalled lithium-ion batteries cannot be brought onto planes in hand luggage or checked bags regardless of the manufacturer, but the FAA is taking a stance similar to its 2016 order forbidding Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones on aircraft under similar circumstances. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has issued a similar warning about theses MacBook Pro models.  

American Airlines seeks contempt ruling against its mechanics over work slowdown
Attorneys for American Airlines were in court Tuesday filing documents claiming that the carrier’s mechanics have been violating a temporary restraining order issued in May to stop an alleged work slowdown that was causing a dramatic increase in flight delays and cancellations. 

On Monday, Senior District Court Judge John McBryde of Fort Worth made permanent his previously issued temporary restraining order against the Transport Workers Union and the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers, which represent American’s mechanics. McBryde was quoted as saying, “The concerted job action of defendants’ members has caused flight delays and cancellations, inconveniencing the public and disrupting commerce.”

In Tuesday’s court filing, American said that union leaders and the mechanics have been violating McBryde’s temporary restraining order all along, as nothing has been done to stop or discourage actions that would slow down or cancel American flight operations. “In the eight weeks since this Court issued the TRO, Defendants’ continued illegal slowdown has caused over 950 flight cancellations and over 280 two-hour (or longer) delays, disrupting the lives of over 170,000 members of the public. But for Defendants’ violations of the TRO, these over 1,230 maintenance-related cancellations and delays would not have occurred.”  American is now asking the judge to punish the unions and their leaders as it believes that the judge’s now permanent injunction won’t change their behavior going forward without some punitive measures.

Five more airlines get ok to participate in TSA PreCheck
The Transportation Security Administration announced that five new airlines were approved for inclusion in its PreCheck trusted-traveler program, bringing the total number of participating airlines to 72.

The new airlines include Austrian Airlines, Canadian low-cost carrier Swoop, Mexican low-cost carriers Interjet and VivaAerobus, and PAL Express, a subsidiary of Philippine Airlines.

Those directly enrolled in PreCheck, along with members of Customs and Border Protection’s Trusted Traveler programs, such as Global Entry, Sentri, and Nexus, and those who are flying on any of the newly accepted airlines or any other participating airline, are eligible to use the expedited screening lanes. Military personnel on active duty are also eligible to use PreCheck.