Science/Tech

You can't take your hoverboard on a plane

By Lord Castillo | Update Date: Dec 14, 2015 02:32 PM EST

The hoverboard has been banned by major US airlines. American, Delta and United said this week that hoverboards are not allowed in carry-on or checked baggage due to safety concerns about their batteries catching fire. Southwest Airlines may be one of the only US options for passengers who want to bring their hoverboards.

The bans come as US regulators investigate reports of hoverboards catching fire or exploding. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has received "at least 10" reports of hoverboard fires, spokesman Scott Wolfson told NBC News on December 10, 2015.

Hoverboards have been immensely popular but this month, however, there have been reports of boards catching fire and videos that purport to show such incidents. Online retailer Overstock.com even said on December 9, 2015 that it will no longer sell them because of safety concerns.

"Poorly labeled, powerful lithium-ion batteries powering hoverboards are the issue," Delta wrote in a blog post explaining its decision. "Delta reviewed hoverboard product specifications and found that manufacturers do not consistently provide detail about the size or power of their lithium-ion batteries."

Under Federal Aviation Administration guidelines (PDF), airline passengers are allowed to bring lithium-ion batteries in their carry-on luggage as long as the batteries don't exceed 160 watt hours per battery.

Southwest airlines allows passengers to bring hoverboards but the battery can be removed or the board is "designed to prevent unintentional activation."

"It is preferred that personal transport devices are treated as a carry-on item," reads a statement Southwest sent TIME. However, if a scooter is too large to fit in a carry-on bag, it will have to be packed in checked luggage and protected from "accidental activation," the airline says. Still, Southwest is taking some precautions. Scooters with batteries larger than 160 watt-hours will not be permitted on the plane; the airline has the same rule for other electronics powered by similar batteries.

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