Galaxy Note 7 smartphones banned on UAE airlines

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday banned passengers from using Samsung's new Galaxy Note 7 smartphones on board the country's airlines, following a recall of the devices because of a battery fire hazard.The UAE civil aviation authority chief, Saif al-Suwaidi, said the ban covers using, charging and stowing the devices in checked luggage."This is a precautionary measure to guarantee aircraft safety," al-Suwaidi said in a statement.Emirates, a major UAE state airline, said the ban would start with immediate effect.Some other carriers around the world have already warned passengers not to bring the Galaxy Note 7 phones on board.Samsung started a recall after complaints of battery overheating, with dozens of customers saying that their phones had caught fire while charging.Around 2.5mn devices worldwide will be recalled, with Samsung offering to replace them.