COMAIR will prohibit passengers from boarding its planes if they're carrying the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone and “offload” them if found with the device, the airline announced yesterday.
This has been implemented in line with a new ruling by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).
Comair’s prohibition of the smartphone, which would apply to British Airways and kulula.com planes, follows that of SAA, which also banned the phone last week.
The airline said this step was in compliance with precautions taken by regulators and aviation authorities worldwide to safeguard their customers and crew following Samsung's recall of the device, several of which have caught fire, reportedly due to battery faults.
Samsung announced a recall of the smartphone in early September after a number of incidents where a battery defect caused overheating that resulted in fires and explosions.
Since then regulators in various jurisdictions announced bans on air transportation of the device.
The SACAA ruled customers may not transport the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in carry-on baggage, or checked in baggage, or on their person.
Comair chief executive Erik Venter said the safety of their crew and passengers was always the foremost priority.
“Customers boarding British Airways or Kulula.com flights will be asked at check-in and when boarding doors close whether they’re carrying the device, and if so they'll be offloaded from the flight. Before the aircraft's doors are closed, customers will be asked to identify themselves to the crew if they're carrying the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and will be offloaded from the flight.”
British Airways, with whom Comair has a franchise agreement in southern Africa, has prohibited the device aboard its flights to Hong Kong, the US, Canada and Mexico. – ANA