Galaxy Note 7 Fallout Prompts Carriers to Take Safety Measures
Jackie Reddy October 15, 2016
The downfall of the device has seen both Delta and Virgin America take a precautionary stance against on-board fires.
Samsung may have just announced that it will no longer be producing its Galaxy Note 7 model smart phone, but the fall out from the ill-fated device has prompted a number of carriers to take precautionary measures against the possibility of on-board fires.
To this end, both Delta Air Lines and Virgin America have installed fire-containment bags on their aircraft. Composed of a fire-resistant fabric, fitted with extra strong zippers and able to withstand temperatures of up to 3,200 degrees, they are intended to smother the fire of any overheating small electronic device, such as a phone or laptop.
For its part, Delta says that it is doing its best to inform and educate travelers about the potential safety risks from mobile devices and is working hard to train cabin crew on how best to deal with any potential fires.
During an earnings call on Thursday, USA Today quoted Ed Bastian, the carrier’s CEO, as saying that “It is a challenge, but I don’t want it to be blown out of proportion, either. We’ve had a very few…number of incidents occur.”
Delta’s spokesperson Morgan Durrant confirmed to the outlet that almost all of the carrier’s fleet will eventually be fitted with these bags. However, Durrant added that the airline’s initial priority will be to ensure that all craft flying trans-oceanic routes, as well as all of the Boeing 757s in its domestic fleet, be outfitted with these pieces of equipment by the end of 2016.
Virgin America has also confirmed that it has installed these fire-containment bags on each of its 60 planes. Alaska Airlines was one of the first carriers to outfit its fleet with these bags; it undertook this process earlier this spring.
On October 10, Samsung announced that it would cease production of the Galaxy Note 7, just five days after one of these devices began smoking on-board a Southwest Airlines flight.
[Photo: CNN]
I may be missing something, but how hard is it to get something placed on every plane? Is there some official procedure to be followed before placing the device on the plane? They get coffee and soda on every plane - this shouldn't be difficult,. Just ship a whole bunch to ATL, DTW, and MSP and then figure out which planes won't pass through those airports in the following week and send them to one of those other airports.
Is there any information regarding how these bags actually improve safety if at all? Studies? Why the FAA has not mandated them? If I understand, when a lithium battery catches fire, it emitts a large amount of toxic fumes. Is this also contained in the bag? Wouldn't it build it alot of pressure inside the bag eventually causing an even larger explosion? Is there some means to eject the bag from the aircraft at altitude?