DGCA prohibits Samsung Galaxy Note 7 aboard airlines

The ministry of civil aviation has issued a public notice prohibiting the use of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 smart phone on board an aircraft. The ministry has advised airlines and travelling public not to turn on or charge the said mobile during flights.

This has been done in light of several incidents globally, involving the battery of Samsung Galaxy Note 7. Passengers have also been advised not to stow them in their checked in baggage.

Samsung last week recalled 2.5 million of its waterproof, iris-scanning smart phones following reports of fires caused by faulty batteries.

Air-safety regulators in the US have urged passengers to avoid using the mobile phones on airliners. The FAA is concerned the Galaxy Note 7 smart phone as a potential airborne fire hazard.

The US Federal Aviation Administration had on Thursday warned passengers not to use or charge their Galaxy Note 7s on planes and not to stow them in checked bags.

Europe's air-safety regulator on Friday also issued warning against use of the Galaxy Note 7s inside an aircraft. Other carriers, including Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines, are already instructing against their use.

In response, Samsung said it plans to expedite new shipments of Galaxy Note 7s with safe batteries. The company is also offering $25 gift cards to US Galaxy Note 7 owners who exchange their phones, while Indian consumers who preordered the Note 7 can get free virtual-reality headsets and a voucher for about $50 of content.

In South Korea, some carrier shops said there had been no cancellations of Galaxy Note 7 orders despite its being the subject of one of the largest recalls in smart phone history.

Samsung's battery challenge stems from its competition in China's smart phone market, the world's largest, which has several budget brands. Once the leader there, Samsung now ranks sixth in China with an 8 per cent market share, in the second quarter, according to research firm Canalys.

In the Seoul stock exchange, shares of Samsung closed at 1.575 million won ($1,432), down 3.9 per cent.