Hoverboards: they’re self-balancing scooters that are currently a hot toy in the sense that they’re very popular, and a hot toy in the sense that they keep bursting into much-publicized flames, sometimes while in use. Airlines all over the world have asked customers to kindly leave their hoverboards on the ground.

There’s nothing inherent in a self-balancing scooter without handlebars that’s making airlines ban them. The problem is their lithium ion batteries, and fears that poorly constructed boards could catch fire in transit, endangering everyone on board the plane.

While governments, including the U.S. Consumer Safety Products Commission and the U.K.’s National Trading Standards Office, are currently testing the boards to determine what could be causing sporadic fires, airlines are sure that they don’t want the scooters on board.

So far, Delta, American, and United have announced that they won’t allow the boards on planes, so plan your gift-giving accordingly. British Airways had already banned them, and so have smaller domestic carriers Virgin America, JetBlue, and Alaska Airways.

Until the airline industry has a unified policy to deal with the devices, individual carriers will set their own. If you’re planning to travel with a new gadget in the coming months, check with the airline ahead of time.

Airlines are banning ‘hoverboards’ after fires trigger safety concerns [Washington Post]

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