Samsung Galaxy Note 7 banned from all Lufthansa flights

Samsung scrapped the Galaxy Note 7 last week because of incidents where the phones began catching fire

Lufthansa had previously only banned the smartphones from flights to and from the US. (Reuters)

German airline Lufthansa has banned Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 mobile phones from all of its flights with immediate effect.

The decision follows Samsung's announcement that it would stop production of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone last week after devices kept catching fire.

"Transport of the devices is forbidden on all flights, both in checked bags and in hand luggage," a spokeswoman for the German carrier said.

Lufthansa had previously only banned the smartphones from flights to and from the US.

Airlines have long been issuing specific notices about Samsung’s explosive phone, warning travellers that they should never turn them on or charge them during a flight. But now governments and airlines are banning them from flights entirely.

The US Department of Transportation has completely banned the phones from being carried on or packed into checked bags on flights that are going to and from the country or are flying within it. The phones also can’t be shipped as cargo.

A note published on Air Berlin's customer website this weekend said that carrying the mobile phones was not allowed on its flights with immediate effect.

Samsung said its profits would drop by 33 per cent in the third quarter, as the Galaxy Note 7 disaster hit the company’s bottom line for the first time.

Samsung lowered its operating profit estimate for the three months to 30 September to 5.2 trillion Korean won (£3.77 billion) from its earlier estimate of 7.8 trillion won (£5.7 billion). It said sales would also fall to 47 trillion won from the 49 trillion won it guided for last week.

The disaster has already wiped 14 per cent off the value of the company’s shares

“The development is disastrous for the company’s short-term financial position and its short-term brand value,” said Robert Haigh, director at consultancy firm, Brand Finance.