It took the entry of a humanoid robot onto a Southwest Airlines flight to Dallas Love Field for the airline to make a major policy change, despite the robot being legal.
With the advent of artificial intelligence and robots, the presence of both humanoid and non-humanoid robots on flights could become more common. However, airlines might not be ready for that just yet.
The owner of ‘The Robot Studio’ in North Dallas was returning from Las Vegas on a Southwest Airlines flight, accompanied by his 3.5-foot humanoid robot.
He had booked a separate seat for the robot and complied with regulations related to batteries on flights. However, Southwest Airlines banned robots from boarding its aircraft after the flight.
Stewie Was Not Treated as Cargo
According to a report by CBS News, Aaron Mehdizadeh, the owner of the humanoid robot named Stewie, booked a seat for it instead of shipping it as cargo.
He reportedly bought a ticket used to transport fragile items such as delicate equipment or wedding dresses. The robot passed necessary airline checks and TSA requirements, as Mehdizadeh used a smaller laptop battery to power it.
Footage circulating on social media shows the robot walking through the airport, even dancing at one spot before boarding the flight.
Some travelers looked at the robot with curiosity, while others tried to interact with it. Mehdizadeh rents out the robot for events, and now it was there, walking through the aircraft among humans to its window seat. Revealing the reactions he received from fellow travelers, Mehdizadeh said:
“Most people were very excited to see a robot flying and provided so much entertainment, and it was great.”
Stewie was programmed to make comments. It stated: “I had the perfect window seat, clouds like cotton candy, and everyone’s snapping selfies with me.”
Southwest Airlines Bans Robots
Two days after Stewie’s flight, Southwest Airlines went on to ban animal-like or human-like robots on board its flights. The airline reportedly issued a company-wide safety alert that it would not allow such robots in the cabin or checked baggage, irrespective of the size of the robot or the reason for which it is being transported.
Southwest Airlines told CBS News that the announcement was made to ensure lithium-ion battery safety regulations were adhered to. However, Mehdizadeh thinks the reason could be something else. He said:
“It’s not a battery policy because the battery we used is essentially a laptop battery.”
Stewie commented as well, stating:
“It’s a total conspiracy, I swear they don’t want us robots peeking at the clouds, seeing what’s really up there, my dreams got clipped faster than a bad haircut.”
Mehdizadeh hopes that Southwest Airlines will revisit its decision to ban robots. However, it remains to be seen whether the airline softens its stance on the matter or if other airlines follow suit in banning robots.
Social Media Reacts to Humanoid Robot Boarding Flight
Video of the robot boarding the flight has gone viral on Instagram. However, the post by Fox 4 News mentions the robot was boarding the flight from Dallas. Thus, it is unclear from where Mehdizadeh and the robot boarded the airplane.
View this post on Instagram
Instagram users have reacted to the post. Some comments are quoted below:
One user wondered how it got through TSA:
“How the hell did he get through TSA with that thing?!”
Another user compared it to a bottle of shampoo:
“Yeah, No. We can’t bring shampoo on the damn plane but a life-size lithium battery can be your seat-mate. Hard pass.”
One user predicts robots will fly planes in the future:
“He’ll be flying the planes in a few years.”
One user found no issues with the robot:
“As long as battery is FAA compliant there’s no reason this should not be able to fly.”