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Dancing Robot Causes Southwest Flight Delay
2 May
Summary
- A robot named Bebop was denied flight due to its battery.
- Southwest Airlines staff debated if the robot was passenger or luggage.
- The robot was eventually flown after its battery was removed.
A Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to San Diego faced an unexpected delay on Thursday due to a child-sized humanoid robot named Bebop. Owned by Elite Event Robotics, Bebop was traveling after an event. The robot's transport became complicated when its carrying case exceeded check-in weight, prompting an employee to purchase a separate seat for Bebop.
Upon boarding, airline staff were uncertain how to categorize the robot, considering it as either a passenger or luggage. Bebop was moved from an aisle to a window seat as staff deliberated. The situation intensified when Bebop's lithium battery was found to exceed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) restrictions for air travel due to fire risk.
The flight was grounded until the battery issue was resolved. A video posted on Instagram showed Bebop dancing at the gate, seemingly unfazed by the developing regulatory headache. After the lithium battery was removed, the flight finally departed, arriving in San Diego approximately one hour behind schedule.
