FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines announced Tuesday it would enforce a total ban on passengers in possession of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices to ensure the safety of other passengers and the aircraft.
“If a passenger is in possession of a Samsung Note 7 prior to boarding an aircraft, the airline will deny boarding until the device is removed (from) his/her person, carry-on or checked baggage,” said Maria Cielo Villaluna, PAL External Communications chief.
Passengers traveling with Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones should contact Samsung or their wireless carrier immediately to obtain information on how to return their phones and arrange for a refund or a replacement device.
The US Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) jointly issued an emergency order banning all Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone devices from air transportation in the United States.
Any person failing to comply with the Emergency Order is subject to civil penalties of up to $179,933 for each violation of the Hazardous Materials Regulations. A person violating this Order may also be subject to criminal prosecution, which may result in fines under title 18, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines earlier urged airline operators, officials of the Manila International Airport Authority and other airport managers nationwide to prohibit the use and battery charging of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 to ensure the safety of passengers.
CAAP acting director Jim Sydiongco made the advisory after Samsung Electronics Company Ltd. issued a recall order on all Galaxy Note 7 devices.
“In light of the official announcement by Samsung to recall and voluntarily replace all Galaxy Note 7 devices already sold to the public due to reported incidents of exploding and catching fire, the CAAP strongly encourages all operators to advise passengers not to turn on or charge these devices while inside the airport premises and/or on board the aircraft,” Sydiongco said in a memorandum.
“Moreover, all are enjoined to require passengers not to stow these devices in any checked baggage, but instead carry these devices with them where an incident can be immediately mitigated,” the memorandum stated.
Other major commercial airlines—Cebu Pacific and Air Asia—also banned the use and charging of Galaxy Note 7 during flights to ensure public safety following reports that the phones’ batteries have caught fire during charging and normal use.
Reports showed three Australian airlines have earlier banned passengers from using or charging the mobile device during flights due to concerns over the phone’s fire-prone batteries.
In December last year, major airlines also prohibited passengers from bringing hoverboards and other similar self-balancing cart on board their aircraft.
The airlines said hoverboards run on high-powered lithium-ion batteries, which have been widely reported to have a tendency to overheat or spontaneously ignite.
They explained the devices posed a fire hazard risk and were deemed unsafe for transport especially in aircraft’s pressurized cabin and cargo stowage spaces.
