Hoverboard is Forbidden on Airplane Due to Battery Issue

Some fire accidents and unknown risk regarding its battery raise serious concern regarding hoverboard. Airlines take a safety measure to ban hoverboard on board the airplane. Authorities in England, United States and Australia have also banned hoverboard to roam the street and sidewalk.

According to Mashable, many airlines have banned hoverboard to be on board or relegating them as a carry-on luggage only. In U.S., only United, Delta and Southwest allow hoverboard to be taken as checked luggage with certain conditions. American and Virgin America only allow it to be taken only as carry-on, while JetBlue, Frontier and Alaska ban hoverboard on board their planes completely.

One of the main reasons airlines take the precaution is because of the hoverboard's battery. Mashable reported that according to Federal Aviation Administration, since March1991 to February 2015, there were 151 recorded incidents in the air and airport involving batteries carried as cargo or baggage. Some of those recorded incidents were caused by battery in passenger luggage.

Quartz add the list of international airlines that take a position regarding the hoverboard. KLM, Lufthansa, Air Canada, British Airways and Easy Jet allow hoverboard on board with certain conditions. While Air France, Virgin Australia, Emirates, and Etihad forbid hoverboard on either carry-on and checked luggage because of its lithium-ion battery.

In the U.S., FAA has a clear guideline regarding items using lithium-ion battery. FAA regulations mention that all consumers size battery and larger lithium ion battery at the maximum of 160 watt hours per battery is allowed as carry-on luggage. Recent FAA regulations regarding battery operated device was issued in October, prohibiting electronic cigarette and other battery-operated electronic smoking device in passengers checked baggage.

Apparently the overhype regarding hoverboard has caused a serious attention on this scooter. In England, since October the British Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has declared all self-balancing scooters and balance boards are illegal to be used on the road.

New South Wales, Australia and State of New York have also banned hoverboard. Last November, New South Wales' Ministry for Roads declare hoverboard as illegal on all NSW roads or footpath. New York State followed the suit in December declaring hoverboard as motorized vehicles that cannot be registered, therefore riding hoverboard on public road can draw a fine.

On the contrary, California will impose a new law effective in January 2016, allowing hoverboard to be ridden in bike lanes and pathways according to New York Times. Kristen Olsen, California assembly member who sponsored the law said that it aimed to help commuters break free from traffic. "What we had in mind was the short-distance commuter," she told reporters.

With its rising popularity, hoverboard have successfully gain all attentions. Even specific regulation must be issued to govern this scooter.