American, Delta, United Airlines Ban Hoverboards From Flights Out Of Safety Concerns

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Your child's hoverboard may be coming by way of Santa's sleigh after all.

Despite being a popular holiday gift item, Delta Airlines announced Thursday it will not allow hoverboards on its aircraft out of safety concerns.

"Employee and passenger safety remains the airline's top priority, driving Delta to disallow hoverboards and all lithium battery powered self-balancing personal transportation devices in carry-on and checked baggage effective Dec. 11," the airline said on its website.

"Poorly labeled, powerful lithium-ion batteries powering hoverboards are the issue," Delta added.

These batteries can spontaneously overheat and pose a fire hazard risk.

American and United Airlines have announced similar bans, along with several smaller airlines.

Other airlines are also discussing the issue Southwest Airlines said in a statement that it has not announced any policy on hoverboards, but has guidelines in place.

Currently, it is preferred that such devices are treated as carry-on items, but if they are too large, they must be protected from accidental activation if transported in checked baggage, Southwest said. Lithium batteries may be transported as long as battery size requirements are met, Southwest said.

The Delta announcement comes after a consumer alert was issued for the hugely popular motorized scooters.

There have been more reports of them catching fire, including one that has been blamed for a house fire in Westchester County.

Timothy Cade's motorized board burst into flames while he was riding it Friday.

"I came down the sidewalk not even 100 feet, and it exploded. It said, 'boom,'" Cade told CBS2's Hazel Sanchez.

Experts said it's no fluke. Consumers report similar fires across the country.

Jessica Horne bought a board for her son's birthday, and it caused a blaze that burned down her Louisiana home.

For more information on the Delta ban, click here.