Canadian air passengers urged not to use fire-prone Samsung Galaxy Note 7s on planes
Transport Canada safety advisory echoes similar warning from U.S. FAA
Canadian air passengers should not use or charge Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones while on board because of the potential for battery fires, Transport Canada says.
The advisory issued Friday follows a similar one issued Thursday by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
Transport Canada said Note 7s should be carried in the cabin and not placed in checked baggage. It said it "strongly recommends against using or charging these devices in the cabin."
The warning follows an announcement from Samsung last week that it would exchange the phones in 10 countries, including Canada, after disclosing 35 cases of Note 7s that had burst into flames or exploded because of defective batteries from a supplier.
Airlines to raise customer awareness
Porter Airlines said on its website that passengers should not turn on or charge Note 7s or place them in checked luggage. It's telling passengers who have put them in checked baggage to "notify a Porter team member for assistance."
A spokesperson for WestJet said in an email that the airline "is closely monitoring the situation but as of right now, there are no changes to our policy of allowing Samsung Galaxy 7 on WestJet aircraft."
Air Canada said it is advising its passengers to follow Transport Canada's recommendations to not turn on or charge their Note 7s while on board and not to stow them in their checked luggage. "Additionally, our flight crews will be making announcements reminding passengers to not use or charge these devices on board," the airline said in an email.
The three biggest U.S. airlines — American, Delta and United — said Friday they were studying the FAA warning, but it was not clear how or if they would make sure that passengers keep their Note 7s powered off.
A spokesman for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration couldn't say if their baggage screeners would be asked to check for the devices either in carry-on or checked bags.
Singapore Airlines said it will not allow the use or charging of Note 7s during flights.
On Friday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said owners of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones should turn them off and stop using them.
With files from The Associated Press