No-fly zone suggested for Galaxy Note 7

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken the unusual step of issuing a warning about Samsung's flaming phablet, the Galaxy Note 7. “In light of recent incidents and concerns raised by Samsung about its Galaxy Note 7 devices,” the statement opens, “the Federal Aviation Administration strongly advises …

[Nigel Steward]

Samsung need to ensure that the "revised" Notes 7's can easily be recognised, so as to ensure that all versions of the Note 7 are not banned by aviation authorities, airlines & the like.

It's essential that the user can demonstrate that his Note 7 is "safe", and not from the initial "problem" batch.

I would love to see them abandon the "built in" battery as part of the solution.

[Baldy50]

Me too! I have spares for mine and can take two spare charged batteries with me if needed, a lot easier than trying to find a mains socket in a strange work place that's not secure or you can't always see your phone from where you’re working.

I don't watch much telly, but on an commercial the other day I think one of these phones were being offered as a prize for winning a competition or something! Scary or what?

[Down not across]

Me too! I have spares for mine and can take two spare charged batteries with me if needed, a lot easier than trying to find a mains socket in a strange work place that's not secure or you can't always see your phone from where you’re working.

Not an easy design change when phone has been built to be (somewhat) waterproof and back is glued on.

Would be nice if they did. Replace glue with nice rubber seal and some small screws. Not going to happen though.

As for the charging in strange places, there are solutions like this which will charge your QI device (like Note 7) and one or two other ones via cables.

Disclaimer: Not actually tried that, but tempted due to similar reasons.

[tony]

Wouldn't it be easier for air screening staff just to ban Samsung phones rather than have to work out which model / iteration the flyer is carrying, then they can get right back to their core job of fondling balls.

[Anonymous Coward]

How they can abandon the built in battery?

They can't turn around a major design change like that in a week. Do you expect everyone who bought one to wait six months for their replacement?

[Anonymous Coward]

No more reading the news on the plane lav with a Note 7

No smoking permitted.

[Known Hero]

Withdrew My comment due to misreading part of the article

" advises passengers not to turn on or charge these devices on board aircraft and not to stow them in any checked baggage."

Left me with the impression they were not allowed on flights.

[djstardust]

I agree

I have the Note 4 and the removable battery is great.

It's rooted and debloated so the battery lasts well over a day anyway, but if I'm away for a weekend I can just stick the spare battery in my wallet and swap it when needed.

It's so funny watching my pals hunting around in pubs for iphone chargers all the time.

But Samsung DO need to change the phone to be easily identifiable as a new model otherways it will be tarnished completely going forward.

[Anonymous South African Coward]

Re: I agree

"But Samsung DO need to change the phone to be easily identifiable as a new model otherways it will be tarnished completely going forward."

Square corners? Hot pink body?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I agree

It isn't as though the airlines are asking everyone to submit their phone for inspection at the gate, so they can see if you have a Note 7 and tell you that you can't use it on the flight. There's nothing to be gained by Samsung making a distinction between the old one and the new one - whatever they added to the "fixed" version to show it was fixed would just act as a scarlet letter reminding people of the fiasco for years to come.

They just need to make sure they are all replaced, even if it means pushing updates to the unfixed ones that informs their owners that they will stop working after date X and they will need to contact Samsung to have it replaced. The worse thing that can happen from their perspective if for reports of fires to continue for months, due to stubborn owners who assume it'll never happen to them and don't want to hassle with replacement.

[Anonymous South African Coward]

Agreed on removable batteries.

[Charlie Clark]

Ban all Lithium batteries

All Lithium batteries are potential risks. Ban them all and let the rest of us fly in peace!

Given that Samsung has recalled all sold Note 7s then this is alarmist nonsense by the FAA.

[Mark 85]

Re: Ban all Lithium batteries

Well, it's not a "mandatory" recall and there are those folks who either won't hear about it, nor bother if they do. So, it's not nonsense except that it's a "suggestion" and not mandatory to turn them off.

[Charlie Clark]

Re: Ban all Lithium batteries

All recalls are voluntary. And I repeat: all Lithium batteries are potential fire hazards.

[herman]

Raqqa

The US can drop them over Raqqa.

[Lotaresco]

Banned on European flights now

The pre-flight safety announcement for my flight back from Paris last weekend included a warning that Glaxy Note 7 users must turn their phones off for the duration of the flight and could not charge the phones during the flight. Also anyone with a GN7 in their luggage must declare the fact before the doors were closed. Someone stuck their hand up. One hour delay waiting for their luggage to be off-loaded, searched and the offending phone put into the hand of the owner.

iPhone users looking smug at this point.