The US government is taking a hardline stance on bringing exploding phones onto airplanes.
On Friday (Oct. 14), US Department of Transportation announced that passengers would no longer be able to bring the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 onto any flight in the United States. There have been nearly 100 reported cases of the phones catching on fire and spewing noxious black smoke, an undesired situation in an airplane’s enclosed cabin.
“Individuals who own or possess a Samsung Galaxy Note7 device may not transport the device on their person, in carry-on baggage, or in checked baggage on flights to, from, or within the United States,” the US DOT statement said. Any travelers who violate the ban could be subject to criminal prosecution and fines.
Samsung is expected to see a $5.3 billion loss in profits from the entire fiasco, mainly the cost of recalling, stopping production, and destroying phones.
The ban will be tough to enforce—the Note 7 is only slightly larger, and similar in design, to the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.
“The fire hazard with the original Note7 and with the replacement Note7 is simply too great for anyone to risk it and not respond to this official recall,” said Elliot F. Kaye, the Consumer Product Safety Commission chairman, in a statement.