HOUSTON — Passengers traveling with a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 device will not be allowed to take it on board any aircraft after the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration banned the device from carry-on or checked baggage for flights.

The flight ban means the Galaxy Note 7 is now considered a prohibited hazardous material under Federal Hazardous Material Regulations, which block airline passengers or crew from traveling with lithium cells or batteries or portable electronic devices that are likely to generate a dangerous amount of heat.

If an airline representative observes a traveler with the device before boarding a flight, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger until the phone is removed from their possession, according to information from the Department of Transportation. Anyone caught trying to take a Note 7 on board could face fines and criminal prosecution.

If officers with the Transportation Security Administration discover a Galaxy Note 7 during regular security screening of carry-on or checked baggage, passengers will be advised to contact their airline and remove the item from the security checkpoint. Items in checked baggage will be turned over to the airline and identified as hazardous materials and handled accordingly.

Samsung issued the following statement:

“All Galaxy Note7 owners should visit their local carrier or retail store and participate in the U.S Note7 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 Note7 devices in carry-on and checked baggage on flights across multiple touch-points. We are providing support to Galaxy Note7 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 Note7 hotline at 1-844-365-6197. But we urge all Galaxy Note7 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.”

More information about the restriction can be found at this link.