WASHINGTON (AP) — The Transportation Department is issuing an emergency order banning passengers and flight crews from bringing Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphones on airline flights in response to reports of the phones catching fire.
The order goes into effect Saturday at noon eastern time. It says the phone may not be carried on board or packed in checked bags on flights to and from the United States or within the country. The phones also can't be shipped as air cargo.
The department says passengers who attempt to travel with the phones will have the phones confiscated and may face fines.
Samsung recalled more than 2.5 million of the smartphones and discontinued the product earlier this week.
Numerous fires have been reported, including one on a Southwest Airlines flight earlier this month.
The FAA released the following statement on its website Friday:
In response to an October 10, 2016 statement from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and following a recent decision by Samsung to suspend global sales and exchanges of all Galaxy Note7 devices, the Federal Aviation Administration urges passengers onboard aircraft to power down, and not use, charge, or stow in checked baggage, any Samsung Galaxy Note7 devices, including recalled and replacement devices.
