FAA warns passengers not to use Samsung phone on flights
Elizabeth Prann reports from Washington, D.C.
Users of Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphones have been urged to stop using the devices by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
In a statement released late Friday the Commission urged “all consumers who own a Samsung Galaxy Note7 to power them down and stop charging or using the device.”
The warning follows reports of the new Note7s exploding or catching fire. Last week, Samsung ordered a global recall of the jumbo phones after its investigation of explosion reports found the rechargeable lithium batteries were at fault.
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“This consumer warning is based on recent reports involving lithium-ion batteries in certain Note7 devices that have resulted in fires,” said the CPSC. “These incidents have occurred while charging and during normal use, which has led us to call for consumers to power down their Note7s.”
The Commission said it is working with Samsung to formally announce an official recall of the devices as soon as possible. “CPSC is working quickly to determine whether a replacement Galaxy Note7 is an acceptable remedy for Samsung or their phone carriers to provide to consumers,” it added.
Late Thursday the Federal Aviation Administration took the unusual step of warning passengers not to turn on or charge the Note7 during flights.
The Note7, which offers iris scanning technology to unlock the phone, was unveiled in a blaze of publicity last month.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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