With 93 percent of Samsung Galaxy Note7s returned, FAA says airline warnings are no longer needed

After apologies and updates to kill batteries, it would appear that Samsung has managed to convince most customers to part with their faulty Galaxy Note 7s -- in the US, at least. As a result of this, the Department of Transport has announced that airlines no longer need to warn passengers that taking the phone on planes is prohibited.

Airline passengers were banned from taking their Note7s on flights back in October; the ban remains in place, but the Federal Aviation Authority now believes that the issue gained so much publicity that it no longer needs to be advertised.

In a press release, the FAA says: "The FAA said today that U.S. airlines would no longer be required to make a pre-boarding notification to passengers that the Samsung Galaxy Note7 phone is prohibited from transport on aircraft. The devices are still prohibited on both passenger and air cargo aircraft, but the DOT has lifted the requirement that the airlines make the specific pre-boarding notification".

It goes on to say:

The Department of Transportation removed the requirement for air carriers to specifically notify passengers about the Note7 phone immediately prior to boarding due to the high degree of public awareness of the ban since issuance of the emergency restriction/prohibition order, as well as the extensive efforts by Samsung and U.S. wireless providers to make all Note7 users aware the phone is recalled and banned from transport on U.S. aircraft.  The awareness of the ban is evidenced by the significant rate of recall returns.

The FAA quotes Samsung as saying that more than 93 percent of US handsets have been returned. The authority reminds passengers that the Note7 is still banned from both passenger aircraft and air cargo aircraft; it is only the need for a warning that is no longer mandatory.

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