Airlines Now Stocking 'Fire-Containment Bags' for Electronics Like the Galaxy Note 7
After several reports of smartphones catching fire — including the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on a Southwest flight earlier this month — some carriers are now stocking "fire-containment bags" on their flights. Alaska Airlines and Virgin America have the bags on their entire fleet, and Delta recently announced it will start stocking the bags on its aircraft as well.
The heavy-duty bags are made of fire-resistant material and are big enough to hold laptops. They're shut with Velcro and zippers and can withstand temperatures of more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Alaska has two versions of the bag: one for its pilots in the cockpit, and a larger one for the main cabin.
Back in September, the FAA issued a statement about the Galaxy Note 7 after Samsung issued a total recall, and some airlines moved to ban the phone completely. While incidents of phones catching fire mid-flight are thankfully rare, and crew (and planes) are already equipped to contain fires (with fire extinguishers and fire detection systems), it's good to see airlines reacting to this news by instituting additional safeguards.
Have you traveled with a Samsung Galaxy Note 7?