Southwest Airlines bans robots after man brings humanoid onto flight
Southwest said the ban follows recent robot incidents and battery safety concerns, including lithium-ion batteries that have caused onboard fires, officials said.
- Southwest Airlines implemented a unilateral ban on humanoid and animal robots in cabins and checked luggage, updating its official policy last week citing lithium-ion battery safety concerns.
- Aaron Mehdizadeh of The Robot Studio went viral earlier this month after purchasing a seat for his 3.5-foot robot, Stewie, on a Las Vegas to Dallas flight, while Eily Ben-Abraham of Elite Event Robotics faced delays flying his robot, Bebop, from Oakland.
- Southwest cited lithium-ion battery risks as the primary hazard, though Mehdizadeh disputes the claim, telling PEOPLE, "We were all just laughing at the absurdity of it. The robot wasn't causing any issues."
- The airline defines human-like or animal-like robots as devices designed to resemble, move, or behave like humans or animals, while small robotic toys must fit carry-on bags and comply with battery regulations.
- Mehdizadeh hopes Southwest will reconsider the policy, though The Robot Studio fleet remains grounded for now, as Stewie offered a different perspective: "I swear they don't want us robots peeking at the clouds, seeing what's really up there.
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Southwest Airlines adds robot ban after viral Love Field flight | FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth
After a human-like robot took a flight from Dallas Love Field to Las Vegas, Southwest Airlines changed their baggage policy to ban robots from flying. FOX 4's David Sentendrey has more on the robot company that bought the 'bot's plane ticket.
Southwest Bans Humanoid And Animal-Like Robots
Los Angeles’s CW affiliate reports: If you’re planning to bring your humanoid robot with you on your next vacation, prepare for some bad news. Southwest Airlines has recently updated its company policy to ban any “human-like or animal-like robots” from both the cabin and checked baggage, “regardless of size or purpose.” The change comes after a “handful of recent experiences in which Customers either bought seats for devices or tried to carry th…
FOX 13 Seattle
Fox 10 PhoenixNo Fly Zone: Robot passenger at Love Field prompts Southwest Airlines to ban 'bots
The first step for robot-kind in the aviation world will have to wait after Southwest Airlines banned human-like robots from its flights. The move was prompted after a man bought his robot companion a ticket from Dallas Love Field to Las Vegas.
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