Airline passengers should not turn on or charge their Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones during flights or stow them in checked baggage due to concerns over the phone’s fire-prone batteries, the US Federal Aviation Administration has said.
The FAA said it “strongly advises” passengers to follow its guidance “in light of recent incidents and concerns raised by Samsung about its Galaxy Note 7 devices.”
The South Korean manufacturer has announced it is recalling all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones equipped with batteries it has found to be prone to catch fire.
US airlines said they were reviewing the recommendation.
The International Air Transportation Association said airlines had conducted risk assessments and noted that other phones had been recalled for battery issues in the past.
“Although Samsung is the most recent company advising of faulty devices, others have issued similar recalls and warnings regarding lithium batteries in laptops over the last 12 months, so the industry is familiar with and equipped to manage such situations,” the IATA said.
Australian airlines Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have banned passengers from using or charging the Galaxy Note 7 during flights over fire concerns.
Although customers will still be able to bring the phones on flights on the Australian carriers, the ban extends to the phones being plugged into flight entertainment systems where USB ports are available.
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