Hoverboards, gliders, electric skateboards—whatever name they come by, you have probably seen and heard of them. These self-balancing devices are the year’s hottest electronics as people everywhere are snapping them up and buying them as presents for their loved ones.
In fact, you probably know at least one person with a hoverboard on their Christmas list.
As cool as they are, there’s one big problem: they are not safe to transport on an airplane.
“At Alaska Airlines, we do not allow hoverboards as checked luggage or as carry-on. Hoverboards are usually powered by lithium ion batteries, which are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as hazardous materials,” The airline said in a statement. “Internal short-circuits can occur with lithium ion batteries, which can then lead to a “thermal runaway” where the battery overheats and bursts into flame.”
