US air safety regulators have warned airline passengers not to use Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 aboard planes, following a recall of the devices because of a battery fire hazard.

Passengers are advised to keep the phones switched off during the entire flight and preferably not to bring them on board at all, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement late yesterday.

"In light of recent incidents and concerns raised by Samsung about its Galaxy Note 7 devices, the Federal Aviation Administration strongly advises passengers not to turn on or charge these devices on board aircraft and not to stow them in any checked baggage."

Samsung started a recall after complaints of battery overheating, with dozens of customers saying that their phones had caught fire while charging.

Around 2.5 million devices worldwide will be recalled, with Samsung offering to replace them.

Some airlines have already warned passenger not to bring the phones on board.

The FAA had previously uged airlines not to allow lithium batteries as checked luggage, urging for them to be carried as hand luggage.

- dpa