Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Hoverboards maybe on your holiday wish list, but Delta Air Lines is keeping them grounded.
American Airlines will prohibit them starting Saturday, while Southwest Airlines tells ABC News that they are reviewing their policy, but as of now the airline allows them “as long as the battery size requirements are met (the lithium-ion or lithium polymer battery cannot exceed 160 watt-hours).”
The airline is banning the “self-balancing personal transportation devices” in carry-on and checked baggage.
They say the “poorly labeled,” powerful lithium-ion batteries powering them — often exceeding government limits for being aboard aircraft — pose a safety risk.
“Delta reviewed hoverboard product specifications and found that manufacturers do not consistently provide detail about the size or power of their lithium-ion batteries,” the company said in its statement.
“While occurrences are uncommon, these batteries can spontaneously overheat and pose a fire hazard risk,” says the airline.
The ban goes into effect on Dec. 11, 2015.
The company did not specify models or manufacturers, but rather banned all “balance gilders, hoverboards, and self-balancing boards of any type which use lithium or lithium-ion batteries.”
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