The United States regulators have banned the Galaxy Note 7 from all flights going to or coming from the country.
The Note 7 has been described as a forbidden and hazardous material and is banned according to federal regulations.
Ban on Note 7
The ban of the Note 7 on flights is effective from Saturday noon, ET. It is an extension of earlier restrictions on the Note 7 devices. Earlier, passengers on the US airlines were allowed to bring the phones on to the plan, but were requested to either switch them off or keep them in their check in luggage. They were also not allowed to charge the phones on the airline.
Second Recall
The ban comes as a new blow to the company. The company has already made one recall of the Note 7, but even the replaced phones had complaints of causing a fire. Samsung along with the United States CPS commission has issued the second recalling of the Note 7, as it had there were several complaints of the phone overheating or exploding. Samsung has effectively stopped the production of the Note 7 and this will result in a loss of billions of dollars due to the device being returned.
Ban on Flights an Inconvenience
According to Anthony Foxx, the Transportation Secretary, they realize that the ban of the phone from flights will pose an inconvenience to passengers, but it is important to take into consideration the safety of the aircraft and other passengers travelling in it. Even if there is a single incident of a fire caused by the Note 7, it can pose a high level of risk for the flight and the passengers, putting them all at risk.
All Note 7s Banned
The latest ban has come from the Transportation Department in the US, along with the Administration for Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety. The ban is effective for all the Note 7 devices and not only for the ones that were recalled the first time. Will not be allowed to carry the Note 7 with them and neither will they be allowed to keep it in their cabin bags or in their checked luggage when travelling from or to the US. Disobeying the ban could result in a fine and getting the device confiscated. Users cannot also ship their phones in the air cargo.
Spreading the Word
According to Samsung, the company is working along with carriers and letting more people be informed about this ban.Communications are being issued directly to the passengers.
Refund Program
Samsung has also issued a statement to the effect that all owners of the said device must pay a visit to their carriers or to the retail store where they bought the phone. They can participate in the Refund/Exchange program. Though this will create a lot of inconvenience to the owners of the phone, their safety is the top priority of Samsung, according to the company statement.