Why can't you take a hoverboard on a plane?

Why can't you take a hoverboard on a plane? - Side view from entrance of cheerful young ethnic bearded man with ponytail and woman with curly hair leaning on large cardboard package while arranging stuff in cozy attic bedroom

As Delta Airlines' online check-in helpfully informs me

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Examples of Forbidden Dangerous items include paints, lighter fluid, fireworks, tear gases, oxygen bottles, radiopharmaceuticals, and hoverboards.

Is this a standard text? Does it have some actual precedent, is it a deliberate allusion to the don't stuff beans up your nose trope, or just a flat-out joke? Why don't they give something actually realistic as example for the hazards a hoverboard would bring?



Best Answer

Is this a standard text?

Absolutely. Every airline I looked at had such a restriction and I think it's more or less mandated by IATA's restrictions on lithium batteries.

Air Canada: "Small lithium battery-powered vehicles are not accepted in either checked baggage or carry-on baggage due to safety concerns associated to the lithium batteries that power them. Prohibited vehicles include: hoverboards, AirBoards, electric skateboards, airwheels, mini-Segways, balance wheels, battery-assisted bikes and electric scooters. Motorized luggage (e.g. Modobag) is also prohibited."

Air France: "Lithium battery-operated segways, hoverboards, self-balancing hoverboards, Oxboards, electric skateboards, waveboards, motorized baggage (no matter the battery power in Wh and even if the battery has been disconnected or removed)" are not allowed in either checked or carry-on baggage.

British Airways: "Due to the potential fire risk associated with lithium batteries, hoverboards and other self-propelled electrically-powered vehicles such as Air Wheels, Solo Wheels, skateboards, scooters and Hover Karts are completely forbidden."

Japan Airlines: "Personal Movement Devices with Built-in Lithium or Lithium Ion Batteries (Except for battery-powered wheelchairs and mobility aids)" are "prohibited in both carry-on and checked baggage even if the batteries are removed, or those devices sold at the airport duty free shops."

United: "In the interest of safety for our customers and employees, we do not accept hoverboards as checked or carry-on baggage."

Does it have some actual precedent, is it a deliberate allusion to the don't stuff beans up your nose trope, or just a flat-out joke?

It has actual precedent. Hoverboards use high-capacity lithium batteries and such batteries are strictly restricted on flights because they can cause very intense fires if they're damaged, overcharged, undercharged or have manufacturing defects.

At least two cargo flights have crashed because of lithium battery fires: UPS flight 6 and Asiana 991.

Why don't they give something actually realistic as example for the hazards a hoverboard would bring?

Delta don't give examples of why anything else would be dangerous, so why single out hoverboards? It's tough enough getting people to read these things anyway but adding a little essay about each individual item will make the text even longer and guarantee that people won't read it.




Pictures about "Why can't you take a hoverboard on a plane?"

Why can't you take a hoverboard on a plane? - Ethnic guy picking up cardboard box in house
Why can't you take a hoverboard on a plane? - Content young woman with refreshing drink near modern automobile during car trip
Why can't you take a hoverboard on a plane? - Calm ethnic woman taking refreshing drink from refrigerator in shop



Why hoverboard is not allowed on planes?

All major airlines have banned hoverboards from both carry-on and checked baggage. This is due to the inclusion of lithium-ion batteries in self-balancing scooters.

Can hover boards fly?

There will be a weight limit of 200 pounds for the hoverboards and the heavier the weight, the shorter the flight time, explained Duru. He didn't get into specifics but Duru said the boards \u201ccan fly really, really high, like really high and flight times will be about 30 minutes.\u201d



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Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Ketut Subiyanto, Ketut Subiyanto, Gustavo Fring, Khoa Võ