Tuesday 13 September 2016

NEW ZEALAND: Air New Zealand Restricts Inflight Use Of Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Air New Zealand is the latest airline to restrict the inflight use of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, over concerns its batteries could explode.

Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Tiger Airways and other airlines around the world have banned passengers from switching on or charging the recalled phones onboard.

An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said: "On recommendation from the Federal Aviation Administration all Air New Zealand customers carrying Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices must ensure that they are carried in the cabin only and not turned on or charged while onboard any Air New Zealand service.

It is understood flight attendants are advising passengers of the ban as part of the pre-flight safety briefing.

Earlier this month, Samsung announced an unprecedented recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7s worldwide just two weeks after the phone was launched.

The move came after Samsung's investigation into reports of fires found rechargeable lithium batteries manufactured by one of its suppliers were at fault.

Samsung said it had confirmed 35 cases of the Galaxy Note 7 catching fire as of September 1, most of them occurring while the battery was being charged.

In a statement, the company said it was not aware of any incidents occurring in New Zealand.

No comments: