By admin 
(KTLA) — If you’re planning to bring your humanoid robot with you on your next vacation, prepare for some bad news.
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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 them on as baggage,” a Southwest representative told Nexstar. One of those incidents reportedly resulted in a flight delay after a passenger attempted to travel with a humanoid robot on a Southwest flight out of Oakland, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing Instagram videos from a company called Elite Event Robotics. The customer had purchased a seat for the robot but was told the device’s lithium battery “exceeded the maximum allowable size,” a Southwest representative told the outlet.
A separate incident, also documented on Instagram, appeared to involve a robot causing confusion on a Southwest flight out of Las Vegas.
Both robots were ultimately allowed on board, although the first passenger was required to remove the robot’s batteries.
Southwest says such instances spark concern over the size of the lithium-ion batteries used to power the robots. Last month, the carrier was among multiple airlines to place harsher restrictions on lithium-ion batteries and power banks. Passengers are now only allowed to bring one portable lithium charger on Southwest’s flights, and they’re banned from storing them in overhead bins and using them in in-seat power outlets.
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Portable chargers are also currently banned from all checked baggage — regardless of the airline — due to risk of “smoke and fire,” per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Lithium batteries have already caused 29 verified incidents involving “smoke, fire or extreme heat” since the beginning of 2026, FAA data shows.
Southwest further told Nexstar that the decision to ban all humanoid or animal-like robots from its planes was implemented to avoid confusion over what a passenger can and can’t bring.
“The robot policy is a further evolution of a Safety journey we have been on for several months,” a spokesperson said.
“This move was not in response to any single incident. The policy went into effect a week ago Friday,” the statement continued. “To eliminate confusion, the policy applies to all similar devices, regardless of size.”