Gulf airlines ban use of Note 7 on aircraft

Travellers who own Samsung’s fire-prone Note 7 smartphone will no longer be able to use or charge them while on board several Gulf carriers. 

Etihad, flydubai and Oman Air have all issued statements barring in-flight use of the phone, which was recalled earlier this month by Samsung after reports of burning and exploding batteries.

The ban comes after aviation authorities in the UAE, Europe, the US, India and Singapore all issued similar advisories on the use of the smartphone on aircraft.

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority banned the use of the device on board planes and in the transport of luggage last week, said Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, director-general, General Civil Aviation Authority, said on Saturday.

An Emirates statement said: “Emirates can confirm that with immediate effect it will advise customers not to turn on or charge their Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones during flights or stow them in checked baggage due to concerns over the phone’s fire-prone batteries,” the airline said in a statement issued to Gulf News on Saturday.

Etihad also said that it “has, as a precautionary measure, enforced a temporary ban on the in-flight use and battery charging of these devices on all its flights until the issue is rectified by the manufacturer”.

Low-cost carrier flydubai said: “We would like to request passengers that own these devices to not switch them on or charge them in flight. In addition, we are unable to accept this device in checked baggage. Thanks for your understanding.”

Oman Air has prohibited all passengers from using or charging the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on board its flights too, a decision its statement said was taken “in the wake of its recall due to safety concerns over the battery issue”.
“Galaxy Note 7 devices must also not be stowed in checked baggage, but may be hand-carried as long as the device is turned off at all times inside the aircraft,” it added.