Samsung told to recall Galaxy Note 7 smartphone

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said Friday that it was working with Samsung and had asked for a recall of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphones as soon as possible.

"We plan to expedite new shipments of Galaxy Note 7 starting from this week in order to alleviate any safety concerns and reduce any inconvenience for our customers," Samsung said in a statement, in response to the CPSC safety advisory.

The South Korean manufacturer last week recalled the Note 7 after announcing that the phones' batteries were prone to catching fire. The company recalled 2.5 million of the waterproof, iris-scanning smartphones in 10 countries, including the US.

FAA warns travelers

Meanwhile, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said travelers should not charge the phones while aboard airplanes or stow them in checked luggage. It is very unusual for the FAA to warn passengers about a specific branded product.

The Canadian Transport Ministry followed suit later on Friday, advising air passengers not to carry the phones on board.

American Airlines Group Inc, the world's largest carrier, said it was in touch with the FAA about the phones. Other airlines including Singapore Airlines and Qantas Airways have banned travelers from powering up or charging the Galaxy Note 7 phones on flights, though they still can bring the smartphones on board.

Industry experts have said such guidelines may be difficult to enforce because it was hard to distinguish the faulty Galaxy Note 7 from other smartphones.

For months, pilots and plane makers have raised concerns about lithium-ion batteries, which are used in many consumer devices ranging from phones to laptops to toys.

jbh/cmk (Reuters, AP)