CHENNAI: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 models bought after September 15 can be used on board civil aircraft, with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation easing restrictions on the use of the model on Friday.
The DGCA had prohitbited the use of the models on board flights and banned carrying them in checked in luggage on September 9, after a spate of explosions due to faulty batteries prompted Samsung to annouce a global recall of the model.
“Samsung Galaxy Note 7 purchased after September 15, 2016, which have green battery charge indication on their screen,” DGCA said.
Restrictions on older models of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, which have seen battery overheating and have a white battery charge indication on the screen, have been retained. The new Note 7, sold after September 15 can be identiified by a green battery icon. Devices displaying this visual icon are safe to charge and use during the flight, Samsung said.
“It is important to note that Samsung has not sold a single unit of Galaxy Note 7 in India so far. The ‘green battery icon’ will apply to all Galaxy Note 7 units that will be sold to customers in India when it is launched,” the phonemaker added.
The notice from the DGCA comes after Samsung officials met their counterparts at the DGCA after a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 caught fire on an Indigo flight while landing at the Chennai airport.