SIA, Tigerair, Jetstar join list of airlines banning Samsung Note 7

Flag carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) has banned all passengers on their flights from carrying on board and checking in Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 smartphone.

According to a Facebook post by SIA on Saturday (Oct 15), the decision was made after the US Department of Transportation banned the device on aircraft in the US under an emergency order.

Budget carriers AirAsia, Scoot and Tigerair also said they have banned the Note 7 from their flights. Passengers in possession of the device – even if it is in their check-in luggage – will be denied boarding, the airlines said in their respective statements.  

Qantas and its budget carrier Jetstar on Saturday also announced a ban on the device, effective 12.01am Sunday. The restriction is a broadened ban from a previous policy which allowed passengers to bring the Note 7 on board, as long as the phone was turned off.

"(The ban) is due to concerns regarding potential fire risk from the device's battery after a number of incidents worldwide and follows a ban put in place by regulators overseas," a Qantas and Jetstar statement said.

Virgin Australia and Tigerair Australia, as well as Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific and Dragonair, have also issued similar announcements.

Some SIA customers have expressed concern on the airline's Facebook page that they were overseas and would not be able to return home with their Note 7 phones, which can be returned to Samsung for a refund.On a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on its website, Samsung said any Galaxy Note 7 owners planning to travel out of Singapore by flight soon may obtain a courtesy loan device from the following locations:

• Samsung Customer Service Centre at Westgate (#03-01)
• Samsung Experience Store at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 (Departure/Transit Lounge) 
  

Singaporeans who own the Note 7 and is based overseas or travelling can contact Samsung's customer service centre for assistance at +65 6415 0800. 

Samsung Electronics scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone on Tuesday following incidents where the phones began smoking or caught fire, dealing a huge blow to its reputation. The decision came after reports of fires in replacement devices prompted a new round of warnings from regulators, phone carriers and airlines.

The order from the US Transportation Department and other agencies bars owners from carrying on the devices or stowing them in checked baggage during flights.

SIA added that the smartphone also cannot be shipped as air cargo.