The recent battery explosions and subsequent recall of Samsung’s Galaxy Note7 has prompted a warning from the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Friday that it is working with Samsung to soon announce a formal recall of the Galaxy Note 7.
In February, the FAA issued a safety alert about lithium-ion batteries, saying airlines that carried the batteries as cargo carried the “risk of a catastrophic hull loss” after they lead to fatal fires on Boeing 747s in 2010 and 2011.
That request comes from the Federal Aviation Administration, which is asking owners of the phablet to not charge it or even use it during a flight.
Some carrier and retail outlets will also provide customers who prefer a replacement Note 7 with a Samsung loaner phone to use until new Note 7s are available.
Spirit Airlines said it would send customers an email 12 hours before their flight to tell them about the FAA warning. Samsung has now issued a recall of all the older smartphones, and is now sending out newer devices to the users.
“The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a public notice prohibiting the use of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 smartphone on board an aircraft”, said an official statement.
In a statement Friday, Samsung says Note 7 owners should shut off their phones and exchange them now for another device. Samsung Australia will also be launching an online database on September 13 that’ll allow consumers to enter the IMEI of their Note 7 to determine if it’s faulty or not.
Lithium batteries are ubiquitous in consumer electronic devices. Participants in the exchange program can also get a $25 gift card or bill credit. Samsung initially delayed shipments of Galaxy Note 7 devices, before starting a voluntary recall process last week and suspending sales of the device.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday strongly urged travelers not to turn on or charge Samsung Galaxy Note 7 cell phones while on planes, after a series of incidents involving exploding batteries. Yesterday, for example, a man in Florida said a Galaxy Note 7 left charging in his vehicle was responsible for burning the Jeep Grand Cherokee to the ground. In the interim, consumers can return their Note7 for another device. Samsung has offered to replace all Note 7 phablets globally.
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Praised by reviewers for its impressive camera, water-resistant casing and vivid display, Samsung had announced it had sold 2.5 million phones since the phone went on sale last month.
