Virgin Atlantic modified its ban on in flight use of Apple and Dell laptops to specific battery serial number ranges. According to ZDNet Australia, a cabin crew member must check the battery serial number. If it falls outside the prohibited number range, they will approve it for use.
The ban on in flight laptop use stemmed from battery recalls by Apple and Dell over Sony-made batteries that pose a potential risk of overheating and burning.
Virginis decision to ban all Apple and Dell laptops was seen as a knee-jerk reaction by many since a limited number of computers actually contained the defective batteries.
The revised laptop restrictions seem more reasonable, especially now that replacement batteries have been arriving in useris hands.
Quantas and Korean Air have not yet modified their in flight laptop restrictions.
The Virgin Atlantic Web site states "Virgin Atlantic is in communication with Apple and Dell. As soon as this safety issue is resolved these restrictions will be lifted." Additional information about Virginis laptop restrictions is available on the company Web site.