Samsung has discontinued the production of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones and the CPSC issued an official second recall of the smartphone. It seems that US officials have taken action and decided to ban all Galaxy Note 7 units from US airline flights.
The US Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency order to completely ban Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. The ban applies to “on board air transportation to, from, or within the United States.”
The statement mentions that flight restrictions will be extended to all 1.9 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones sold in the US, starting Saturday, October 15. Government officials say that passengers who evade the ban are increasing the risk of a catastrophic incident. In addition, anyone that violates the ban may be subject to criminal prosecution and fines.
Passengers who bring their Note 7 smartphone to the airport and can’t return it to their car or hand it to someone not flying, American Airlines will place the device in an area for storage of hazardous materials. The passenger can reclaim the smartphone after the trip, a spokesperson said.
Samsung estimated that it will face up to $5.3 billion in lost profits from the Note 7 discontinued production. Multiple incidents were reported involving Galaxy Note 7 smartphones that overheated and caught fire.
Physical injuries were recorded in 13 cases, while 47 incidents resulted in property damage. In one case, a Galaxy Note 7 smartphone started emitting smoke on an airplane, which was later evacuated and the flight was cancelled.
All owners of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones are advised to power their smartphones immediately and call Samsung or the place of purchase to arrange for a replacement. US carriers have also refused to ship such smartphones by plane and have imposed strict conditions under which they will transport phones.