INDIA, Sept 13 (NIA) – India’s Civil Aviation Ministry, on Tuesday, announced that it was pohibiting travelers from using the Samsung Galaxy Note7 on its flights after several incidents were recorded globally, involving the battery of the Note7.
The Ministry further advised passengers not to pack or store the phone in their check-in baggages.
“The ministry has advised airlines and travelling public not to turn on or charge the said mobile during flights. This has been done in light of several incidents globally, involving the battery of Samsung Galaxy Note7. Passengers have also been advised not to stow them in their check-in baggage,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement.
India is not alone in banning the Note7 from its flights. The United States, Australia, Singapore, the UAE, Pakistan and the Philippines have also issued similar advisories for their respective airlines after the South Korean company announced that it was halting sales of the phone as it had found nearly three-dozen cases of Note7’s battery heating or exploding.
The company hasn’t issued a recall of the device from its existing customers but has advised them to stop using the Galaxy Note7.
The phone maker recently informed its customers to immediately return the device at a nearby Samsung store, and get a replacement.
Media reports said that this is the first time any smartphone manufacturer has banned sales of a flagship phone after faulty battery issues. This unprecedented move has also created challenges for airlines, who have to now ensure that their customers aren’t carrying the Galaxy Note7, reports said.
Samsung hasn’t started selling the Galaxy Note7 in India, yet. The Note7 was scheduled to go on sale on September 2 but the company delayed it amid a global ban on its sales.
A Samsung Spokesperson, in a statement to local media said that the company considers consumer safety and peace of mind as it top priority. Galaxy Note7 sales have not started in India, and the company has delayed sales to alleviate any safety concerns, the Spokesperson said.
