SYDNEY, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Australia's top airlines are banning any in-flight use of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 after the phone's worldwide recall for catching fire.
Days after the South Korean company recalled its new phone for reports of batteries exploding or igniting, Qantas and Virgin Australia chose to ban their use on flights.
Qantas has also banned the phone from its Jetstar airlines and Virgin Australia has extended its ban to its Tiger airlines.
"Following Samsung's product recall announcement, Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices may not be used or charged on board Virgin Australia flights," a Virgin spokesperson said.
Qantas' similar statement comes after a passenger adjusting his seat to reach for a dropped mobile device last May crushed the phone and emitted smoke in the cabin.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has also advised passengers to avoid using the Galaxy Note 7 during flights or stowing them in checked baggage. The FAA files includes hundreds of similar incidents about batteries from e-cigarettes, GPS units, laptops, cameras and various other devices catching fire on flights.
