DGCA may reimpose restrictions on carrying 'new' Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones on flights

Indian Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation is all set to reimpose the ban it lifted recently on carrying Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones on flights.The new directions have arrived after a Samsung Galaxy Note 7, burst into flames on a Southwest Airlines flight on Wednesday.

The phone's owner told authorities that he had purchased it on 21 September.Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is all set to be launched in India near Diwali on October 28.The DGCA had last Friday lifted restrictions on carrying the new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone on aeroplanes— the ones sold after 15 September. 

“We are in touch with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after the latest incident of a ‘new’ Note 7 catching fire on aircraft and are going to issue a fresh order for the Samsung Note 7. The FAA had in mid-September issued an advisory which said that the Note 7 should be kept switched off and not be charged on planes and that flyers must close all applications such as alarms on these phones that may switch it back on, It also called for physical protection for the power switch to prevent it from getting pressed inadvertently and then getting switched on. A new order will be issued next week and incorporate these things too,” a DGCA spokesman said.

Various global aviation safety regulators and international airlines had imposed restrictions on carrying the Note 7 after instances were reported regarding this phone catching fire. Samsung, however did not offer any immediate comment on the DGCA statement. 

“Until we are able to retrieve the device, we cannot confirm that this incident involves the new Note7. We are working with the authorities and Southwest now to recover the device and confirm the cause. Once we have examined the device we will have more information to share” Samsung said in an email.

Nearly a fortnight ago, the DGCA had also issued restrictions on carrying the Samsung Note 2 after one of these phones caught fire on a Singapore-Chennai flight of IndiGo.