Southwest Airlines is cracking down on robot passengers. The carrier has rolled out a new policy barring humanoid and animal-shaped robots from both the cabin and checked luggage on all flights, regardless of size or intended use, Quartz reports. The move follows a much-photographed Las Vegas–to–Dallas flight in which a 3.5-foot humanoid robot named Stewie was seated like a paying customer. Owner Aaron Mehdizadeh, who leases robots for events, says he swapped in a smaller battery to clear security checkpoints and had Stewie walk through the terminal and onto the plane, delighting many travelers but surprising crew.
Mehdizadeh bought a seat for Stewie, but mid-flight, crew members decided the robot couldn't occupy a seat as a carry-on, shifted it to a window spot, and disconnected its battery, CBS Texas reports. Southwest now says human-like and animal-like robots are out due to lithium-ion fire risks, citing past battery incidents that prompted emergency landings. Mehdizadeh says he hopes the airline will reconsider its position. "It's not a battery policy because the battery we used is essentially a laptop battery," he says.
- "Southwest Airlines does not allow human-like or animal-like robots to be transported in the cabin or as checked baggage, regardless of size or purpose," the airline's new policy states.
- "A 'human-like robot' is a robot designed to resemble or imitate a human in its appearance, movement, or behavior," the policy states. "An 'animal-like robot' is a robot designed to resemble or imitate an animal in its appearance, movement, or behavior. All other robots, including toys, must be able to fit within a carry-on size bag and comply with existing battery restrictions."
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