A ban on carrying Samsung Galaxy Note 7 cellphones on aircraft in the US went into force on Saturday following many reports of the devices cathing fire.

US air-safety officials have deemed the device to be a potential fire hazard, said the Wall Street Journal.

The ban covers carrying the phones in the passenger cabin or aircraft hold, including checked baggage, on all domestic flights as well as those into and out of the country.

"We recognize that banning these phones from airlines will inconvenience some passengers, but the safety of all those aboard an aircraft must take priority," said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

The Transportation Department warned that passengers who packed the devices in checked luggage raised the risk of "a catastrophic incident."

Airlines in Canada, Asia and other regions have also banned the product from planes.

Earlier, Samsung had scrapped the Note 7 smartphone because of incidents where the phones began smoking or caught fire.