The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has declared a ban on flyers from using Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones while in flight. Users of the flagship Samsung smartphone are being banned from carrying the devices in check-in baggages, and even from using and/or charging the devices in flight mode, when in flight. The move follows United States’ Federal Aviation Authority imposing a similar ban on the smartphone.
Samsung has recently issued a global recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 units following reports of units exploding while in charge or in usage. Further investigation led to discovery of a flaw in majority of the devices’ batteries. In response to this recent ban imposed by the DGCA, Samsung India has issued a statement that reads, “We are aware of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) notice. Consumer safety and peace of mind are our top priority. Galaxy Note 7 sales have not started in India, and we have delayed sales to alleviate any safety concerns. We plan to expedite new shipments of Galaxy Note 7 soon to reduce any inconvenience for our customers.”
It remains to be seen whether the ban is interim, or is sustained over prolonged periods. Samsung will possibly take some duration to supply the units to customers who have already paid for it, and may have considerable ground to make up in terms of sales, with Apple having launched the iPhone 7 earlier this week. The in-flight ban aims to ensure safety of consumers, until the exploding battery issue is completely resolved.