A Humanoid Robot’s Arrival in Dallas Raises Industry Questions
A humanoid robot has arrived in Dallas, but his fellow robots might not get the same boarding pass. Southwest Airlines has instituted a ban on “human- or animal-like robots” from passenger cabins and checked baggage, citing safety concerns related to the lithium-ion batteries that power them. This policy shift stems from viral flights where travelers booked seats for event robots, causing confusion among flight crews about the categorization of these machines as passengers, carry-on items, or something in between.
The ban transforms a quirky travel story into a serious industry question: Will other airlines adopt similar policies as realistic robots increasingly appear in public spaces?
The Viral Flights That Triggered the Ban
The policy change was prompted by a high-profile incident involving Aaron Mehdizadeh, founder of The Robot Studio in North Dallas. Mehdizadeh purchased a standard passenger seat on a flight from Las Vegas to Dallas Love Field for Stewie, a 3.5-foot humanoid robot typically rented for events.
To clear TSA security, Mehdizadeh equipped Stewie with a smaller battery. The robot then navigated the terminal and boarded the plane under its own power, drawing attention and photographs from amazed onlookers.
“Most people were very excited to see a robot fly and provide so much entertainment, and it was awesome,” Mehdizadeh said, according to CBS News Texas.
However, the flight resulted in unexpected logistical challenges for the crew. Since Stewie was technically classified as a carry-on, he wasn’t supposed to occupy a seat. Crew members eventually disconnected the robot’s battery and moved it to a window position to continue the flight.
Stewie’s flight wasn’t an isolated incident. On April 30, Eily Ben-Abraham of Elite Event Robotics brought a robot named Bebop on a Southwest flight from Oakland to San Diego. The flight was delayed for nearly an hour when the crew noticed the robot sitting by the aisle, violating the airline’s policy on large carry-on items and raising concerns about its power source.
The Battle Over Batteries
Southwest views the policy change as a crucial safety measure, highlighting the fire risks posed by the high-capacity lithium-ion batteries that power advanced robotics. In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Southwest explained that their primary concern was “the size of the lithium-ion batteries used to power [robots] and the risk they represent during the flight.”
Mehdizadeh, however, has publicly challenged the airline’s safety rationale, arguing that the modified power source used was completely standard. “It’s not a battery policy, because the battery we used is basically a laptop battery,” Mehdizadeh told CBS News Texas.
Stewie, using his programmed voice, humorously added, “It’s a total conspiracy, I swear they don’t want us robots to look at the clouds, see what’s really up there, my dreams were shattered faster than a bad haircut.”
To prevent future confusion at boarding gates, Southwest has established clear and stringent definitions of what is no longer permitted on board.
The airline defines a “human-like robot” as “a robot designed to resemble or imitate a human in appearance, movement or behavior.” Similarly, an “animal-like robot” is defined as “a robot designed to resemble or imitate an animal in its appearance, movement, or behavior.”
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on our sister publication, eWeek.
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