Flight crews on several airlines are warning passengers not to use or charge the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 because the devices have a tendency to explode.
A little over a week ago, Samsung issued a global recall for the smartphone, citing 35 verified reports of explosions as of Sept. 1.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 explodes in Australia, injuring owner, ruining hotel room https://t.co/lHgSWAvjd6 pic.twitter.com/lXnz2oXorO
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) September 7, 2016
GeekWire reporter Taylor Soper heard the warning, “Please do not have it on during the flight for your safety,” during an Alaska Airlines flight over the weekend. Passengers on Twitter report that American Airlines, Lufthansa, and Air Asia are issuing similar warnings.
Dramatic reports, like a child who reportedly sustained burns and a Florida man’s car exploding while charging the device, are hurting Samsung just days after its competitor Apple announced the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Samsung’s stock has plummeted since reports of the defect started surfacing.
The company is offering its customers an exchange of the Galaxy Note 7 for another device. Samsung produced 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 phones. About 1 million of them have been sold and will be eligible for the exchange.
The Federal Aviation Administration and Consumer Product Safety Commission have issued statements urging people not to use the smartphones:
“Lithium-ion batteries pack a lot of power into a small package. When these batteries overheat and burst, the results can be serious. This is why the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging all consumers who own a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 to power them down and stop charging or using the device.”
