Samsung is fixing its major Galaxy Note 7 issue, but until its recall is completed it means that an estimated 1.5 million Galaxy Note 7 units that may pack faulty batteries could be in use right now, out of the 2.5 million new phablets Samsung built. That means the FAA might not let you take the phone with your on your next flight.
DON’T MISS: How to tell if your Galaxy Note 7 might explode
An official response to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 recall isn’t ready, but the FAA is looking into the matter, according to Gizmodo.
“The FAA and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration are working on guidance related to this issue,” an FAA spokesperson told the site. “If the device is recalled by the manufacturer, airline crew and passengers will not be able to bring recalled batteries or electronics that contain recalled batteries in the cabin of an aircraft, or in carry-on and checked baggage.”
You might think that the FAA doesn’t know the product was already recalled. But it’s not that simple. Samsung did recall the device, but it didn’t follow proper US procedure. Samsung bypassed the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which is why the FAA doesn’t refer to it as an official recall.
The problem with Samsung’s cheating its way through this recall process, at least in the US, is that the phones may still be available for purchase from some retailers right now, even after the phones have been recalled. A recall through the CPSC would have made the device illegal to sell, and the FAA would have a better answer.
The FAA banned hoverboards from flights before, as various self-balancing scooters experienced battery-related explosions just like the Note 7. For now, taking the Galaxy Note 7 on flights isn’t a problem, but that could change soon.
