Ban on new Samsung Note 7

New Delhi: In a relief to Samsung ahead of the festive season, the Indian aviation regulator has lifted the restriction on carrying the new Note 7 phone (ones sold after September 15) in aircraft. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now said its September 9 order banning flyers from carrying Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in check-in bags and from switching them on or charging in flight does "not apply to Samsung Galaxy Note 7 purchased after September 15, 2016." The modified DGCA order issued on Wednesday draws a distinction between Note 7 sold before and after the mid-September date.

Those purchased before September 15 — on which restrictions remain — "have been recalled by Samsung and have white battery charge indication on their screen". The ones purchased after that date have "green battery charge indication on their screen and can be carried on board without any restrictions". The Note 7 is yet to be launched in India but DGCA's worry stems from the fact that people get these high-end phones from abroad ahead of India launch and then fly with them here. Tnn

A Samsung India spokesman said: "The DGCA has issued an advisory to the travelling public and airline companies today (Friday), lifting the restrictions on in-flight use of the new Samsung Galaxy Note7, purchased after September 15, 2016. Customers can identify the new Galaxy Note7 with the 'green battery icon'. Devices displaying this visual icon are safe to charge and use during the flight. Samsung has not sold a single unit of Galaxy Note7 in India so far. The 'green battery icon' will apply to all Galaxy Note7 units that will be sold in India when it is launched."

"We recognize the inconvenience this has caused to customers, flyers and airline authorities, and remain committed towards customer safety," he added, without giving the India launch date for Note 7.