Airlines and airports are beginning to crack down on explosive Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones.
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You might have heard by now that Samsung has issued a global recall for the Galaxy Note 7 after reports of a battery cell issue that was causing handsets to explode.
“We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note 7s and exchange them now”, said Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America.
The flag carrier’s move came after some foreign airlines stopped their customers from carrying the phone with them on flights.
“We are expediting replacement devices so that they can be provided through the exchange program as conveniently as possible and in compliance with related regulations”, the statement added.
Reports that the phones’ batteries have combusted while charging or in normal use prompted the US Consumer Product Safety Commission to stop using the Note 7 device.
The U.S. was among the first countries to take a step following the recall. After being criticised for not issuing an official recall, Samsung now says that it is working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Scandinavian Airlines said Saturday that it has prohibited passengers from using the Galaxy Note 7 on its flights because of concerns about fires. The United Arab Emirate’s General Civil Aviation Authority has banned the use of the device on the plane, as have Scandinavian Airlines, Virgin Australia, Singapore Airlines and more. Some 2.5 million of the premium devices have been sold worldwide, the company has said. The Note series is one of Samsung’s most expensive, and demand for the phone had been high.
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The Redditor – who goes by the name of LimboJr on the website – also revealed that replacement units will arrive in the country starting September 19, with the package also including a Gear VR and “a prepaid parcel to send the defective device back without charges”. The battery trouble comes as Samsung’s archrival Apple launches new iPhone 7 models, with the California company predicting brisk sales as it began taking orders Friday.
