Aviation regulator DGCA has partially lifted the ban on use of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in flights, allowing passengers to use the device purchased after September 15 which has “green battery charge indication”.
The ban remains on Galaxy Note 7, which has seen battery overheating, manufactured before September 15 and having a white battery charge indication on the screen.
On September 9, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation prohibited the use of Galaxy Note 7 on board flights as also carrying them in checked-in baggage following a series of incidents of the smart phone's battery exploding in various countries.
The restrictions do not apply to “Samsung Galaxy Note 7 purchased after September 15, 2016, which have green battery charge indication on their screen,” DGCA said in a notice.
In a statement, Samsung said customers can identify the new Galaxy Note 7 with the green battery icon. Devices displaying this visual icon are safe to charge and use during the flight, it added.
“It is important to note that 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 to customers in India when it is launched,” the company said.
The public notice, issued on Thursday, comes days after Samsung executives met DGCA officials. The meeting also came against the backdrop of a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 catching fire on an IndiGo flight from Singapore during landing at Chennai airport on September 23.
According to the latest DGCA notice, Samsung has recalled Galaxy Note 7 sold before September 15 that have white battery charge indication on their screens.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the fire incident involving Galaxy Note 2 is progressing.
Sources said initial findings indicate that the incident happened due to “some external damage” to that particular Galaxy Note 2.
Earlier this month, Samsung recalled its Galaxy Note 7 devices after finding some of their batteries exploding or catching fire.
