Airplane mode just won’t do for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.
Samsung announced a global recall of the smartphones last week, after photos were published of a burned and melted handset.
The US Federal Aviation Administration is starting to worry. On Thursday (Sept. 8) the FAA advised passengers not to turn on or charge the smartphones while on board an airplane. Don’t stow them in checked baggage either, the FAA said.
But the FAA stopped short of banning the South Korean electronics-makers’ phone outright. Airlines have yet to issue their own guidance. Several carriers have banned hoverboards, fearing similar fires.
The FAA’s advisory may mean a ban is on the way, which could leave the overburdened Transportation Security Administration in charge of not only spotting these smart phones, but identifying the exact model, and then prying them from passengers.
If there are already such big safety concerns, perhaps the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 just shouldn’t fly.