The South Korean manufacturer announced last week it was recalling all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones equipped with batteries it has found to be prone to catch fire.
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging consumers who have Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphones to “power them down and stop charging or using” them.
Following advice given by United States and the European air safety regulators for passengers to avoid using and charging Galaxy Note 7s on planes and not to stow the device in any checked luggage, the CAAT has now issued a similar announcement.
“The General Civil Aviation Authority has banned operating, charging and carrying in bags the Samsung Note 7 on board national carriers’ flights”, it said.
It advised consumers to use replacement phones which would be temporarily loaned by the firm until a new Galaxy Note 7 equipped with fault-free batteries is provided.
Samsung’s share price has tanked as it grapples with a vast product recall following reports its flagship Note 7 smartphone keeps bursting into flames.
That same day, Samsung and fire officials said they would be launching investigations after a Florida family said that a Galaxy Note7 smartphone had exploded in their Jeep on Labor Day, setting the entire vehicle on fire and destroying it.
Several airlines around the world asked travellers not switch on the smartphone or put it in checked baggage, with some carriers banning the phone on flights. They are also requesting that flyers refrain from powering on or charging these phones during flights.
Reportedly, Samsung used to get 70 per cent of its batteries from its subsidiary while 30 percent was from ATL for Galaxy Note 7 devices.
So the USA government safety agency took the measure after the tech giant asked the government to return Note 7 and make it safe for the users to use it.
Bangkok Airways, AirAsia, AirAsia X, Thai Airways, Thai Smiles, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Emirates, FlyDubai, Air Arabia and Etihad are the companies that have restricted use and carrying of the Note7. Samsung promised to issue replacement devices by 19 September to the affected customers. Samsung also made a decision to suspend sales after the recall.
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The recall comes at a crucial time for Samsung, as its rival Apple just announced its own latest versions of the iPhone.
