[191016.EN.AIR] US Bans The Carriage of Samsung Galaxy Note7 Mobile Phones On Aircraft

THE US Department of Transport has banned Samsung Galaxy Note7 mobile phones from being carried onboard aircraft flying to or from the US, with the passage of an emergency order in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

The ban bars passengers from carrying the Galaxy Note7 on an aircraft either on their person or inside their baggage, and also bans the smartphone from being transported as air cargo due to a number of reported incidents of the phone's battery catching fire.

As a result, the Galaxy Note7 has also been classified as a forbidden hazardous material under the Federal Hazardous Material Regulations; and Samsung has been issued with a special commercial permit to transport these mobile phones, reported The Tech Portal based in Jaipur, southwest of New Delhi.

Commenting on the ban, US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said: "We recognise that banning these phones from airlines will inconvenience some passengers, but the safety of all those aboard an aircraft must take priority. We are taking this additional step because even one fire incident inflight poses a high risk of severe personal injury and puts many lives at risk."

So far there has already been one confirmed case of a Galaxy Note7 smartphone burning a hole in the carpet of a Southwest Airlines' aircraft.

Samsung is currently working with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission to encourage consumers to pack their Galaxy Note7 in special, custom made containers and ship them back to the company.

The company is also offering them various benefits, including US$100 discount, if they decide to turn in their Note7 and opt for another of the South Korean company's smartphones.

Source : HKSG.