After numerous battery explosion reports, South African Airways (SAA) has made the decision to impose restrictions on the operation of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on its planes but not ban it altogether.
SAA spokesperson, Tlali Tlali told Justmoney that unlike the stance adopted by other operators, the airline has decided not to ban the device. Instead, passengers will be prohibited from charging the specific smartphone when making use of the airline.
Tlali said, “Our restriction is limited to charging the device on board the aircraft. We still allow passengers who have purchased these devices in other markets to carry them when travelling with us.”
He added, “The decision is taken in the interests of safety of our passengers and crew. We trust that they will cooperate with us on this.”
Samsung have acknowledged the inconvenience that has been caused in the market. They have discontinued the sales of the Galaxy Note 7 and customers who have already purchased the phone will be able to replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks.
They concluded, “We are working closely with our partners to ensure the replacement experience is as convenient and efficient as possible.”
There are an increasing number of airlines and authorities banning the use of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on planes. According to some reports, aviation authorities in India have said that passengers are not allowed to switch on or charge their phones on the planes, while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have warned passengers not to use them on planes either: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/177126/20160912/samsung-galaxy-note-7-banned-on-indian-flights-too.htm.