Trio of Aussie Carriers Ban Samsung Phone From Flights
Jackie Reddy September 08, 2016
Following a global recall, three Australian carriers have banned Galaxy Note 7 phones from planes.
A trio of Australian carriers have prohibited passengers from charging or using Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 smart phones on-board due to the potential fire risk posed by the devices’ faulty battery packs.
However, Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Qantas have been careful to clarify that the ban was not issued at the request of Australian aviation authorities; rather, it has been enforced as a precautionary measure on the back of Samsung’s recall of the device in ten countries around the globe, including Australia.
The recall was brought on by multiple reports of the phone igniting while charging.
While passengers will still be able bring the phone on board, they will not be able to plug these devices into USB ports in the cabin.
A Qantas spokesperson commented on the ban to Reuters, saying, “Following Samsung Australia’s recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 personal electronic device we are requesting that passengers who own them do not switch on or charge them in flight.”
Samsung Australia has confirmed that it has liaised with the carriers with regards to the ban.
The technology giant has sold over 2.5 million of the devices so far and has recalled over 51,000 of the phones in Australia alone.
But Australian authorities aren’t the only ones to play it safe in terms of prohibiting the device aboard aircraft.
Indeed, it now appears that America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also contemplating a ban on the model. “The FAA and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration are working on guidance related to this issue,” an agency spokesperson told tech website Gizmodo earlier this week.
[Photo: BGR]
