{"id":756,"date":"2026-05-18T23:35:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T23:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=756"},"modified":"2026-05-18T23:35:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T23:35:37","slug":"southwest-airlines-bans-human-like-robots-from-flights-after-recent-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=756","title":{"rendered":"Southwest Airlines bans \u2018human-like\u2019 robots from flights after \u2018recent experiences\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

(KTLA) \u2014 If you\u2019re planning to bring your humanoid robot with you on your next vacation, prepare for some bad news.<\/p>

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Southwest Airlines has recently updated its company policy to ban any \u201chuman-like or animal-like robots\u201d from both the cabin and checked baggage, \u201cregardless of size or purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

The change comes after a \u201chandful of recent experiences in which Customers either bought seats for devices or tried to carry them on as baggage,\u201d 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\u2019s lithium battery \u201cexceeded the maximum allowable size,\u201d a Southwest representative told the outlet.<\/p>\n

A separate incident, also documented on Instagram, appeared to involve a robot causing confusion on a Southwest flight out of Las Vegas. <\/p>\n

Both robots were ultimately allowed on board, although the first passenger was required to remove the robot\u2019s batteries.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Humanoid<\/figure>\n
A humanoid robot manufactured by Novautek is on display at an exhibition in Hong Kong on Monday, April 13, 2026. (AP Photo\/ Chan Long Hei)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\u2019s flights, and they\u2019re banned from storing them in overhead bins and using them in in-seat power outlets.<\/p>

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Portable chargers are also currently banned from all checked baggage \u2014 regardless of the airline \u2014 due to risk of \u201csmoke and fire,\u201d per the\u00a0Federal Aviation Administration\u00a0(FAA). Lithium batteries have already caused 29 verified incidents involving \u201csmoke, fire or extreme heat\u201d since the beginning of 2026,\u00a0FAA data\u00a0shows.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t bring.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe robot policy is a further evolution of a Safety journey we have been on for several months,\u201d a spokesperson said. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis move was not in response to any single incident. The policy went into effect a week ago Friday,\u201d the statement continued. \u201cTo eliminate confusion, the policy applies to all similar devices, regardless of size.\u201d<\/p>

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If you’re planning to bring your humanoid robot with you on your next vacation, prepare for some bad news.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":754,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nSouthwest Airlines bans \u2018human-like\u2019 robots from flights after \u2018recent experiences\u2019 - Raleigh Moving News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=756\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Southwest Airlines bans \u2018human-like\u2019 robots from flights after \u2018recent experiences\u2019 - 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