WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) today issued a notice outlining safety requirements for airline passengers or crew traveling with a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone device subject to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) Recall No.16-266.

“Our primary concern is always public safety. Anyone who chooses to travel with a recalled device must take precautions to ensure its safe handling,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

Individuals may only travel by aircraft with a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone device subject to the CPSC recall if they comply with the following instructions:

  • Turn off the device;
  • Disconnect the device from any charging equipment;
  • Disable all applications that could inadvertently activate the phone (e.g. alarm clock);
  • Protect the power switch to prevent the phone from being unintentionally activated or turned-on; and
  • Keep the device in carry-on baggage or on their person, and do not place in checked baggage.”It is important that the travelling public follow these instructions, as well as the recall instructions issued by the CPSC,” said PHMSA Administrator Marie Therese Dominguez. “We’ve also issued a special permit to Samsung that outlines the requirements retailers must follow when shipping the recalled devices.”Federal Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171 -180) forbid airline passengers or crew from traveling with lithium cells or batteries or portable electronic devices that have been identified by the manufacturer or vendor as being defective for safety reasons unless they are transported under the conditions of a Special Permit or Approval issued by PHMSA. The safety advisory issued today outlines safety requirements for airline passengers or crew traveling with a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone device subject to the recall. PHMSA has issued a special permit to Samsung to facilitate commercial shipment of the recalled devices.

“We want to thank the airlines for their prompt response and cooperation in communicating with passengers about the potential risks of these recalled devices,” said Federal Aviation Administrator Michael Huerta. “By working together, we were able to quickly issue guidance to mitigate that risk while we worked with PHMSA to identify appropriate next steps.”

For additional information on the recall, visit the CPSC website at www.cpsc.gov. For additional information on returning your recalled Galaxy Note 7 device to the manufacturer, call 1-800-SAMSUNG or 1-800-726-7864.

For additional information regarding safe travel with lithium batteries and other potentially hazardous materials, visit the DOT Safe Travel Website at http://phmsa.dot.gov/safetravel/batteries. Additional passenger information from the FAA is available at: http://www.faa.gov/Go/PackSafe. For all other questions regarding the transportation of hazardous materials, contact PHMA’s Hazardous Materials Information Center at 1-800-467-4922 or [email protected].