Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones banned on CAL flights

Following a directive issued by the Trinidad & Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA), effective immediately, Caribbean Airlines has enforced a ban on the in-flight use and battery charging of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, on all flights.

In a statement on Friday, the Airline said “these devices are not to be stored in checked luggage. However, they can be carried in passengers’ carry-on baggage or on their person, but they are not to be used or charged on-board the aircraft.”

The Airline highlighted that its number one priority is the safety of its customers and crews, and apologised for any inconvenience caused.

The TTCAA’s advise follows a similar ban on the use of the device by the U.S air safety regulators who deemed the Galaxy Note 7 as a potential airborne fire hazard.

In a brief but strongly worded statement released late Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration said that “in light of recent incidents and concerns” involving the smartphones, the agency “strongly advises passengers not to turn on or charge these devices” on planes and “not to stow them in any checked baggage.”

The statements came less than a week after Samsung, the world’s largest smartphone maker, announced a global recall and replacement program for millions of Galaxy Note 7 devices because of batteries exploding or catching fire.