Can You Take a Hoverboard on a Plane?

Hoverboards quickly swept the world as they offered a new and fun way to get around on flat ground.

Their unusual design and way of moving people around caught the attention of many people as they bought them for friends and family. 

However, all the fun and games came to a quick halt when poorly made and dangerous hoverboards began having serious issues. Cheap models were catching on fire and having serious battery issues. 

Because of these bad hoverboards that enter the market, airlines have been very hesitant to let them on planes. 

Why Can’t you take Hoverboards on Planes?

As hoverboards became very popular, there were companies that used this hype to create unsafe and poorly made products.

As these products entered the mainstream market, they started to have issues like catching fire and exploding. When airlines caught wind of this, they could not, in good conscience, allow them on planes.

The main issue that airlines have with these boards is that the cheaper models are reporting inaccurate battery information and safety labels that aren’t accurate.

Let’s see if there are any exceptions for hoverboards that don’t blatantly break these rules. 

Are There Exceptions?

Airlines

As every airline acts as its own company, they are the ones who decide what is and is not allowed on their planes. As long as they aren’t allowing illegal objects to travel on their planes, every airline can choose what does and does not fly on their planes.

With hoverboards, nearly all major American airline companies have put a ban on hoverboards from getting on their flights. However, we will see later on that there are some ways that certain hoverboards may be able to get past the regulations. 

Batteries 

Airlines have done everything from banning certain types of batteries to even banning specific phones that had battery issues that could damage the plane. Just like certain laptops and computers aren’t allowed on planes, the FAA states that no lithium-ion batteries larger than 160 watts can be stored in carry-on luggage.

If you buy a reputable board that has a small enough battery, you may have a better chance of being allowed to fly with it. Finding a unit with either a removable or different type of battery may also allow you to fly with the board. 

Hoverboard Size

The last consideration that may affect your ability to take a hoverboard on a plane is the size of the hoverboard. Hoverboards come in all shapes and sizes and may not even be able to fit in the carry-on section if they are too big. Because of this, check with your airline before flying to see if the hoverboard will fit. 

If you have doubts about whether or not your hoverboard will fit on a particular plane, you should always reach out to see if it is allowed. Calling the airline for any questions or concerns will allow you to get the most accurate answers possible.