In an online statement, Samsung said Galaxy Note 7 users are advised to visit its service centers nationwide to exchange their phones for other Samsung smartphones before receiving a new Galaxy Note 7 with a safe battery from September 19.
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SAS spokesman Fredrik Henriksson says he expects “good understanding from our customers” to not use or charge one, or stow it in checked baggage. Three airlines in Australia, including Qantas, its unit Jetstar and Virgin Australia, have also prohibited their passengers from using or charging the Galaxy Note 7 during flight. “We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note7s and exchange them now”, Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America, said in a statement. Samsung investigated the problem and found that the rechargeable batteries inside the phones were at fault.
For months, pilots and plane makers have raised concerns about lithium-ion batteries, which are used in many consumer devices ranging from phones to laptops to toys. Industry experts said such guidelines may be difficult to enforce because it was hard to distinguish the faulty Galaxy Note 7 from other smartphones.
Samsung issued a press release Friday saying “consumer safety and peace of mind are our top priority”.
Samsung has asked South Korean customers to stop using the Galaxy Note 7.
They’ve also advised against charging it and even checking it in the hold. American (AAL) said it was “in touch with the FAA” regarding the issue.
The FAA statement does not order US airlines to take action.
The agency said Friday that it’s working with Samsung on an official recall of the phones “as soon as possible” and that it’s trying to figure out if the company’s replacement Note 7s are an “acceptable remedy”. Spirit Airlines Inc. said all passengers will receive a copy of the FAA notice 12 hours prior to flying.
Last week, the company voluntarily issued an unprecedented recall for 10 markets, including South Korea and the US. “This type of fire could easily overwhelm the fire suppression system of an aircraft”.
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Samsung ordered a voluntary recall of the phones last week after several reports of the phones catching fire.
