Southwest Bans Humanoid Robots From Cabin and Checked Bags Over Battery Risk

Southwest Airlines has updated its baggage and travel policy to prohibit humanoid and animal-like robots from flying in the cabin or being transported as checked luggage, citing lithium-ion battery safety concerns. The change followed high-profile incidents involving robots on Southwest flights, including one where a Dallas-area entrepreneur arranged for a 3.5-foot humanoid robot to sit in an airline seat rather than travel as cargo.

The most visible episode involved Aaron Mehdizadeh of The Robot Studio, who traveled with his robot, Stewie, on a May 10 flight from Las Vegas to Dallas. Instead of shipping the device, Mehdizadeh purchased a separate seat for it in the cabin, and the robot was brought through the airport terminal before the flight. During the trip, Stewie used a programmed voice to comment on the view, including lines such as “I had the perfect window seat” and “clouds like cotton candy,” as passengers photographed it.

Two days after that flight, Southwest announced a companywide ban covering humanoid and animal-like robots in both carry-on space and checked baggage, including cases where the robots are otherwise able to fit typical luggage dimensions. The policy...