It is very unusual for the FAA to warn passengers about a specific branded product.
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Samsung has already issued a recall of sorts, “advising” customers to take their Galaxy Note 7 devices to a store and exchange them for a temporary phone, and eventually a non-exploding device.
US aviation safety officials took the extraordinary step late Thursday of warning airline passengers not to turn on or charge a new-model Samsung smartphone during flights following numerous reports of the devices catching fire.
They also ask passengers not to stow them in checked baggage.
Numerous reports have emerged in the past weeks of Galaxy Note 7s exploding, including a dramatic fire that incinerated one Florida couple’s Jeep.
“CPSC is working quickly to determine whether a replacement Galaxy Note7 is an acceptable remedy for Samsung or their phone carriers to provide to consumers”, it said.
Jeffrey Price, who wrote a book on aviation security, said flight attendants will have to patrol the aisles for scofflaws, and they might get help from people who turn in fellow passengers. Shortly after, Samsung heard the phones were catching fire.
The FAA said it can’t prohibit the devices until the product-safety commission issues a recall. He said the airlines could act on their own to bar the phones, as they did a year ago with hoverboards.
Last week, Samsung ordered a global recall of the jumbo phones after its investigation of explosion reports found the rechargeable lithium batteries were at fault. Galaxy Note 7 sales have not started in India, and we have delayed sales to alleviate any safety concerns.
Shares of Samsung Electronics Co. tumbled 4% on Friday, the stock’s biggest decline since January.
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“Lithium-ion batteries that typically power these devices have the potential to overheat or short-circuit if they are defective, mishandled, or not packed properly”, said an advisory posted on Transport Canada’s website.
