Samsung has urged owners of its Galaxy Note 7 phones to stop using or exchange the devices as they risk exploding.
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It added, “We further advise that these devices are not to be stored in checked luggage”. At the time, Samsung said it had confirmed 35 instances of the problem, out of 2.5 million phones sold.
Regional airline, Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has banned the in-flight use and charging of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smart phones on all fights.
Samsung said it had confirmed 35 cases of the Galaxy Note7 catching fire as of 1 September, majority occurring while the battery was being charged. “We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note7s and exchange them now.” says Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the warning on Friday amid reports that the phone was causing fires.
The Federal Aviation Administration also warned passengers not to put the Galaxy Note 7 phones in their checked bags, citing “recent incidents and concerns raised by Samsung” about the devices.
Since then, airlines or air safety agencies around the world including the United States and Singapore have warned passengers against using them on flights.
A malfunctioning Note 7 was blamed for a auto fire over the weekend.
Qantas and Virgin Australia also told customers Thursday not to use or charge the devices on their planes.
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. The company will reportedly mark safe Galaxy Note 7 phones with a blue “S” and a small black square near the barcode.
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More than a week ago, Samsung announced a global replacement program for the Galaxy Note7 as a precaution because of the battery cells.
