Samsung at PHL and other airports to accept recalled Galaxy Note 7 phones
Representatives of Samsung Electronics Co. were at Philadelphia International Airport and other major U.S. airports Tuesday, letting passengers turn in their Galaxy Note 7 phones.
Philadelphia airport officials confirmed that Samsung was on site to address customer issues, and would accept the recalled Note 7 smart phones and potentially provide replacement or loaner phones for the traveling public.
Samsung, which set up stations in PHL's B-C ticketing area and outside the D-E security checkpoint, is expected to be on site at the airport the rest of this week.
Samsung spokeswoman Danielle Meister Cohen confirmed that Samsung was at PHL and said: "All Galaxy Note 7 owners should visit their local carrier or retail store and participate in the U.S Note 7 Refund and Exchange Program immediately and before traveling.
"We are coordinating with various partners to communicate the U.S. Department of Transportation's recent order to ban all Galaxy Note 7 devices in carry-on and checked baggage on flights across multiple touch-points," she said, in an emailed statement. "We are providing support to Galaxy Note 7 owners by exchanging their devices or refunding them in a wide range of places, including at some of the most frequently visited airports around the country.
"These on-site reps are there to help customers with last-minute travel support and can be located by calling the Galaxy Note 7 hotline at 1-844-365-6197," Cohen said. "But we urge all Galaxy Note 7 owners to exchange their device or obtain a refund before they arrive at their airport. We know this is an inconvenience to our customers but their safety has to remain our top priority."
On Oct. 15, new federal requirements banned the model from all commercial aircraft flying into, out of, and within the United States, in response to reports of the phones catching fire. Since then, American has made announcements at baggage check in, at gates before boarding, and onboard planes, asking passengers whether they have a Note 7 with them. "We are also putting a notice in check-in reminder emails that go out 24 hours before check-in," American spokesman Ross Feinstein said. "We also have a note on our website aa.com that federal requirements do not allow the Note 7 device."
"If a customer comes with a Note 7 and we know there is a Samsung representative in the airport, we are encouraging them to reach out to that Samsung representative," Feinstein said. "The last resort, as an airline, we can take possession of it as hazardous material and the passenger can reclaim the item after 30 days. But our goal is not to do that. We would rather the customer not come to the airport with the Note 7. Or if they do, work with the Samsung representative who may be at the airport, including Philadelphia."
Feinstein said he's been told that Samsung is downloading the customer's content from the Note 7 devices and putting it on a memory card. The customer is given the memory card, and a voucher for a new phone.