You can't bring your Samsung Galaxy Note7 on a plane -- but you can bring it to any of the D.C. area's major airports. The airports, including Reagan National, now feature have pop-up kiosks where Samsung reps are collecting the phones for trade-in.
Samsung Galaxy Note7 phones have been recalled because some of them have been catching fire. The U.S. banned the devices from flights last week.
"Honestly, I've wondered the last few times I was on the airplane why they would allow people on and then tell them to turn their phone off," said traveler Sherri Baker. "If it was too dangerous to be on the plane to begin with, I've always thought they shouldn't be on there."
Galaxy Note7 owners can bring them to a Samsung table at D.C.'s major local airports to exchange their devices for another phone or to simply get a refund.
"It's not just for your own personal safety, but also for the safety of everyone around you," said traveler Daniel Shai at Reagan National Airport on Tuesday.
But what happens with all of your data? Samsung reps are uploading users' data to the cloud. Phones are supposed to be cleansed of all their data.
"If they're going to just take your phone like that, you would hope that they'll wipe everything," Shai said of users' data.
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Shai owns a Samsung, but his model isn't a Note7. He said he made sure his phone wasn't a concern.
"I've always had a Samsung phone so it was actually kind of sad that this big problem has happened," he said.
Samsung sent News4 the following statement: "The U.S. Department of Transportation and FAA have banned all Note7 devices in carry-on and checked baggage on flights. If you are a Note7 owner and are traveling today, Samsung is at the airport to help you. Safety remains the top priority."
The Transportation Security Administration is also on the lookout for Note7 phones to make sure they're kept off flights.
An airport source says only a handful of Note7 phones have been turned in recently. But travelers said they're glad the phones aren't getting aboard flights, because it only takes one accident.
Samsung has said it found a manufacturing defect in the phones' batteries.
"Battery technology is changing all the time so I expect that Samsung is doing the right thing here," said traveler David Harnett at Reagan. "They are taking them away as soon as they can."
