14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung announced the discontinuation of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, and after just a few days, the CPSC launched a second recall of the phone. US officials and airlines from multiple countries have banned the smartphone from airplanes and even airports.
Many European airlines, including Lufthansa, have also banned the Galaxy Note 7 smartphones from their planes. Authorities from Canada, Israel and Japan did the same, banning the phone from being carried on flights, even if it’s switched off or in airplane mode.
US government officials announced that passengers who don’t comply with the order are subject to civil penalties starting at $179.933.
The incident that worried authorities from all over the world was reported in the US, where a Note 7 smartphone overheated and caught fire while on a Southwest Airlines plane. The flight was canceled and the whole airplane was evacuated, as it hadn’t left the gate yet.
Galaxy Note 7 owners can return their phones at Incheon Airport
News18 reports that Samsung decided to set up a counter at Incheon International Airport in Seoul in order for users to return their phones. Galaxy Note 7 owners who arrive at the airport can replace their smartphone with a different model.
This way, Note 7 users can return their phones safely and not worry about being left without a smartphone, considering that the device is banned on many airplanes. Presumably, Samsung has taken special precaution measures for storing these devices in fire-proof packages in the airport.
Additionally, the company could set up such counters in other countries as well, especially in the US.
Samsung is currently conducting the second recall procedure of the Galaxy Note 7. All owners of this smartphone model are urged to return the phones to the place of purchase in order to get a full refund or pick another smartphone from the carrier or retailer’s lineup.
Meanwhile, Samsung and Korean officials have launched separate investigations in order to find the exact flaw that caused Galaxy Note 7 smartphones to overheat and catch fire. Investigations will be conducted on manufacturing and engineering procedures, as well as quality control processes.