United Airlines disables laptop ports; American inspects ports on its aircraft

by Bloomberg News

CHICAGO - United Airlines and American Airlines are inspecting laptop-computer power ports on some of their aircraft for possible electrical hazards.

United Airlines, the world's largest carrier, disconnected power to the in-seat ports on 24 of its Boeing 777s in late April after discovering the wiring ran too close to other wiring on the aircraft.

United said it used an outside vendor to wire the 777 ports and disconnected them when it found the wiring didn't meet Boeing specifications. United expects to have the ports operating again by December or January.

Boeing declined comment.

Meanwhile, American Airlines decided to inspect its entire 700-plane fleet after diverting an Airbus jet flight in May because of problems with a laptop port and the resulting acrid odor. American believes that port problem was related to a loose wire that chafed against the metal of a plane seat.

There has been speculation previously that poor wiring in aircraft could lead to hazardous situations.

Swissair disconnected its inflight entertainment systems on MD-11s and Boeing 747s after an investigation into the 1998 crash of Swissair Flight 111 uncovered signs of heat stress near the cockpit.

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