Southwest Airlines Grounds Humanoid Robots After Onboard Incidents

Travelers hoping to bring their humanoid robot companions on a Southwest Airlines flight are out of luck. The carrier quietly updated its policy last week to ban any robot that resembles a human or animal, whether in the cabin or checked luggage, no matter how small.

A Southwest spokesperson said the change came after a string of recent encounters where passengers either bought seats for robots or tried to carry them on as baggage. One incident, captured on Instagram by Elite Event Robotics, delayed a flight out of Oakland when a traveler bought a seat for a humanoid robot. The robot’s lithium battery was deemed too large under updated rules. Another video showed a robot causing confusion on a Las Vegas–bound flight. Both robots were eventually allowed onboard, but only after the first passenger removed the batteries.

Southwest said the ban aims to eliminate confusion about what’s allowed, especially as lithium-ion batteries pose safety risks. The FAA reports 29 verified incidents of smoke, fire, or extreme heat from lithium batteries since January 2026. Last month, Southwest joined other airlines in tightening battery rules, limiting passengers to one portable charger per flight and banning them from overhead bins or checked bags.

“This wasn’t a reaction to one event,” a spokesperson said. “It’s part of a broader safety review we’ve been working on for months. The policy applies to all similar devices, regardless of size.”