Rex Airlines has joined the growing list of airlines to ban the Samsung Galaxy Note7 from its planes.
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The airline has prohibited the mobile device on all its flights due to safety concerns.
The ban covers both the original version and the replacement version of the phone.
“In line with the American Federal Aviation Administration ban on the carriage of the Samsung Galaxy Note7 and advice from Samsung Australia, Rex has issued a directive to ban the carriage of these devices on its aircraft,” the company said.
“These devices must not be carried onboard the aircraft at all, be it on the passenger’s person or as part of the passenger’s checked or carry-on baggage”.
Samsung put the Note 7 out to the market in mid-August, but was soon issuing a worldwide recall of the devices after a battery flaw apparently caused dozens of the phones to explode or burst into flames.
After a second recall due to heat issues, the company said last week it would discontinue the device.
Rex has advised passengers not to bring these devices to an airport when travelling as the device cannot travel under any circumstances.
Meanwhile the Queensland Minister for Transport Stirling Hinchliffe has not ruled out the possibility of re-regulating one of Rex Airline’s key routes, Mount Isa to Townsville.
Rex and the other airlines servicing the route have attracted criticism for high airfares, a topic the Minister discussed with local stakeholders on his visit to the region last week.
“We initiated a review of the decision that was made by the former government in 2013 to deregulate Townsville – Cloncurry – Mount Isa air route,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“We’re going to look at that and more generally look at air services into the north west.”
Mr Hinchliffe said the Brisbane and Townsville routes had been open to competition in recent years.
“But concerns have been raised that competition hasn’t been there in recent years,” he said.
“We’ll look at what changes have occurred in the operating environment, such as the downturn in the resources sector.”