Aviation regulator disallows use of Samsung Galaxy 7 phone in aircraft

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered airlines not to allow use/carriage of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 mobile phone on board an aircraft. The circular comes in the backdrop of several recent incidents of the phone battery exploding, leading to fire accidents. The manufacturer has recalled the phones and has asked the customers not to use it.

In a public circular released on Friday, DGCA asked the public as well as airlines not to stow the phone in checked-in baggage or switch it on or charge it on board the aircraft.

Similarly, US aviation regulator Federal Aviation Administrator (FAA) has issued similar guidelines, "In light of recent incidents and concerns raised by Samsung about its Galaxy Note 7 devices, the Federal Aviation Administration strongly advises passengers not to turn on or charge these devices on board aircraft and not to stow them in any checked baggage," the FAA said in a statement.

The phone was launched in August and according to the market analysts, it has been received well by the customers across all the markets. Samsung is said to have shipped around 2.5 million units globally. In different incidents in Florida and South Carolina, the phone was alleged to have exploded resulting in a massive fire.