Delta Airlines is the latest airline to disallow hoverboards on their airplanes.

Just in time for the busiest travel season of the year, Delta Airlines is making it impossible to bring home one of the hottest gifts kids are getting for Christmas this year.

Delta Airlines said on their website, “To ensure the safety of our customers and employees, Delta no longer accepts hoverboards or any lithium battery powered self-balancing personal transportation devices on board its aircraft. These items are prohibited as both carry-on and checked baggage.”

So far, Delta Airlines, JetBlue, Virgin America, Hawaiian Air and Alaska Air have all banned hoverboards. American, Southwest and United Airlines still allow them, but they must meet certain requirements.

Each airline is responsible for making its own decision but the International Air Transportation Association recommends that if they are allowed on board, they should be brought as a carry-on.

Gilberto Lopez Meyer, the IATA senior vice president for safety and flight operations, said, “Each airline has to make a risk-based analysis to decide if these items are to be transported or not.”

The big issue with hoverboards for Delta Airlines and all the others that have banned them on airplanes are the rampant reports of them exploding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhIBDUpt_tQ

Both the American National Association of State Fire Marshals and the UK’s National Trading Standards have issued warnings about hoverboards and their tendency to explode.

H. Butch Browning Jr., the president of the ANA Board of Directors, said on Friday, “The sheer number of incidents occurring around the country, and abroad, is what prompted our organization to address this serious issue on a national level.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9pDn-Sku5w

That’s scary! Have you heard of these incidents or have you had one explode?

Do you think Delta Airlines is doing the smart thing?