Passengers on a United Airlines flight from Maui to San Francisco that plunged within 748 feet of the Pacific Ocean were saved by technology after a series of crew mishaps, an aviation expert told Insider.
27.07.2023 - 18:28 / smartertravel.com / Tim Winship
Remember those exploding hoverboards, the once-popular self-balancing scooters that most airlines banned late last year due to their proven combustibility?
The problem with the hoverboards was pinned on their lithium ion batteries, which were also the culprits in a series of onboard fires that bedeviled early models of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.
In yet another instance of misbehaving batteries, the batteries powering Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphones have been implicated in at least 35 cases of overheating and catching fire. Samsung has issued a recall for more than 2.5 million Galaxy 7s with the exploding batteries.
Related:Another Day, Another Airline Computer GlitchThe matter has come to the attention of the Federal Aviation Administration, which has broad responsibility for safety in commercial aviation. Here’s the FAA’s statement:
For now at least, the guidance on Galaxy Note 7s is a recommendation, not a rule, so there’s no penalty for ignoring the suggestion. If the FAA were to take the next step and add the phones to the list of items covered by its Hazardous Materials Regulations, passengers could be fined between $250 and $500,000 for non-compliance.
Samsung today released a statement acknowledging the FAA’s concerns and promising to “expedite new shipments of Galaxy Note7 starting from this week in order to alleviate any safety concerns and reduce any inconvenience for our customers.”
Both Samsung’s recall and the FAA’s recommendation are sensible and necessary, given the potential for fire onboard a commercial aircraft. But with 2.5 million phones packing the defective batteries, there remains the real possibility that some of the phones will find their way onto some flights. Not everyone is aware of the recall, after all, or of the FAA’s directive.
Reader Reality Check
Exploding smartphones: an alarming prospect, or just one among many on the list of your travel worries?
More from SmarterTravel: La Compagnie to Shut Down Business-Class Flights to London ‘A First Class Upgrade Every Time’? C’mon! Is the ‘Best Travel Rewards Card’ the Best Credit Card for You?After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.
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Passengers on a United Airlines flight from Maui to San Francisco that plunged within 748 feet of the Pacific Ocean were saved by technology after a series of crew mishaps, an aviation expert told Insider.
From skiplagging to planes diverting over wine, a constant stream of flight drama has filled many people's news streams and social-media pages.
As thousands of flight disruptions on Monday due to severe storms spanned across the East Coast, U.S. airlines have called on the the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to extend a waiver that allowed them to cut back on service.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lexi Matejeck, a travel influencer. It has been edited for length and clarity.
As America faces a storm of geopolitical threats, endures a flood of fentanyl streaming across a largely open southern border—now killing some 100,000 Americans annually, wrestles with soaring inflation, and experiences unmitigated crime in many of our largest cities, the Biden Administration’s recent move to defund schools that offer hunter safety and archery programs has many questioning President Biden’s priorities. The administration seems to be misfiring on many cylinders and, not surprisingly, Joe Biden’s approval rating continues to plummet. “It’s right up there with jock itch,” recently quipped Senator John Kennedy.
Travel Weekly reports that the TSA is already alerting travelers to forthcoming ID requirements set to take effect in 2018.
The TSA has been in the news lately, and not for a good reason. As you may have noticed, the security lines at most major U.S. airports are ridiculously long—so long that many people are actually missing flights despite arriving at the airport within the typical two-hour window.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has responded to a court order seeking airline seat size minimums by saying it does not have a responsibility to regulate airline cabins in such a capacity. The court order was brought in response to action by an independent consumerist organization called Flyers Rights, which requested the FAA take on the issue.
One of the oldest cities in Italy, Naples has many amazing museums and a wonderful local food culture. It is, after all, where pizza was invented. But while Naples has been a tourist attraction for centuries, it has also gained a reputation as a slightly seedy and possibly dangerous place. Here’s what to watch out for. [viator_tour destination
Update, September 18: The FAA has issued updated guidance regarding usage of Samsung Galaxy 7 phones in flight, stating “passengers may not turn on or charge the devices when they carry them on board a plane. Passengers must also protect the devices from accidental activation, including disabling any features that may turn on the device, such as alarm clocks, and must not pack them in checked luggage.” The statement does not mention if any penalties are associated with failure to comply with this guidance. Read the full statement here.
Seasoned American travelers often look to the Department of State for advisories about everything from natural disasters to labor strikes in unfamiliar places. But what hazards are foreign governments warning their own travelers about when it comes to visiting the States?
Last week the State Department released a vague warning about Mexico travel to Playa Del Carmen, saying it had “received information about a security threat,” and prohibited government employees from traveling there for several days.