Southwest Airlines, a major US airline, has banned ‘human-like’ and ‘animal-like’ robots from its flights, citing safety concerns tied to the lithium-ion batteries that power these devices. The Dallas-based carrier updated its safety guidelines to keep such robots out of both the cabin and checked baggage, regardless of size or intended use.
The airline classifies a human-like robot as one designed to look, move, or act like a human, with a similar standard applied to animal-like robots. Smaller robots, including toys, remain permitted but must fit within a standard carry-on bag and comply with existing battery rules.
The ban followed a series of incidents in which passengers purchased seats for robotic devices or tried to bring them on board as carry-on items.
The robot incidents behind Southwest’s new ban
Aaron Mehdizadeh, founder of The Robot Studio in North Dallas, bought a seat for Stewie, a 3.5-foot humanoid robot, and replaced its battery with a smaller one to clear security.
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Southwest Airlines appears to have become the first airline to enshrine a no-robots policy into their rulebook, after a Dallas business owner tried to take his 3.5-foot robot for a… pic.twitter.com/8BdSR5R9Bs
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Mehdizadeh told a news magazine that most passengers were excited and found the robot entertaining during the flight. Two days later, Southwest issued a company-wide safety alert, and the robot ban followed shortly after.
A second incident on April 30 also contributed to the policy change. Eily Ben-Abraham of Dallas-based Elite Event Robotics brought a robot named Bebop on a Southwest flight from Oakland to San Diego.
The flight was delayed nearly an hour after crew members raised concerns about the robot sitting near the aisle. Once it was moved to a window seat, attention shifted to its battery.
Southwest told a news magazine that the device’s battery exceeded the permitted size, and the passenger was asked to remove it.
Why the US airline bans robots over battery safety
Southwest told the Dallas Morning News that the US airline’s ban on robots stems from battery safety concerns and is part of a broader effort the carrier has been developing for several months. The airline noted that other carriers have begun following its lead on battery rules.
Mehdizadeh disputed the battery’s reasoning. He told CBS News Texas that Stewie ran on a battery no larger than what powers a standard laptop. He also told a news magazine that the robot was small, caused no problems, and that the situation struck everyone involved as absurd.
Mehdizadeh said he hopes the airline will reconsider. His studio’s robots remain grounded for now.
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