If you have been on a flight recently and had the crew announce that all Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphones must be turned off completely (not simply put into airplane mode), then you will not be too surprised to hear now they aren’t even allowed on board. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), along with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), announced over the weekend they are issuing an emergency order to ban all Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone devices from air transportation in the United States.
Travelers who own or possess a Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone may not transport the device on their person, in carry-on baggage, or in checked baggage on flights to, from or within the United States. This prohibition includes ALL Samsung Galaxy Note7 devices and became effective as of Saturday, October 15, 2016.
What Travelers Need to Know:
- Travelers attempting to board with their Samsung Galaxy Note7 will be denied boarding.
- DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CHECK PHONE – travelers attempting to evade the ban may be subject to criminal prosecution and fines.
- Travelers currently traveling with their Samsung Galaxy Note7 should contact Samsung or their service provider to obtain information about how to return their phones and arrange for a refund or replacement phone. Samsung has provided more information at http://www.samsung.com/us/note7recall.
- If an airline representative observes a traveler in possession of a Samsung Note7 prior to boarding, the traveler may be denied boarding.
- If a flight crew member identifies a traveler in possession of a Samsung Note7 while the aircraft is in flight, the crew member must instruct the passenger to power off the device, and they must not use the device while aboard the aircraft, the device must be kept on their person and not in any compartment or baggage, for the duration of the flight.
Secretary Anthony Foxx of the DOT said “We recognize that banning these phones from airlines will inconvenience some passengers, but the safety of all those aboard an aircraft must take priority. We are taking these additional steps because even one fire incident in flight poses a high risk of severe personal injury and puts many lives at risk.”
Samsung owners have experienced and documented many dangerous incidents involving the recall and replacement of the Samsung Galaxy Note7 devises. Both Samsung and the U.S. Consumer product Safety Commission acknowledge this imminent safety hazard with the company’s September and October recalls. In addition to the recall, earlier this month, Samsung suspended the manufacture and sale of the Samsung Galaxy Note7 devices.
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