A Southwest Airlines flight scheduled from Oakland to San Diego took an unexpected turn when a dancing humanoid robot named Bebop caused a series of delays. This unusual incident not only puzzled airline staff but also led to a lithium battery issue that ultimately resulted in the flight’s cancellation before it could even depart.
Although the flight eventually landed at San Diego International Airport about an hour later than planned, it seems that Bebop’s antics provided more amusement than frustration for those on board, as noted by FlightAware.
Bebop, a child-sized humanoid robot, belongs to Elite Event Robotics, a company that specializes in renting out entertaining technology for events.
This robot can dance and even serve drinks, which I suppose is not something airlines usually anticipate at cruising altitude.
Following an event in the Bay Area, Bebop was on its way to Southern California. Early on, things took a rather bizarre turn.
Once at the airport, a logistical challenge arose. The robot’s carrying case was deemed too heavy for regular check-in, so airline staff made a rather bold decision: they bought a seat for Bebop.
Yes, they got it a boarding pass.
After being seated, the flight crew found themselves facing an amusing dilemma. Was Bebop a passenger? Luggage? Or maybe a rather pricey dance partner that couldn’t manage to buckle its own seatbelt?
In the midst of that amusing chaos, Bebop was even moved from the aisle to a window seat while the staff tried to navigate the situation.
But a more serious issue arose concerning the battery.
According to Southwest Airlines, the crew had to request that the customer remove the robot’s lithium battery, which exceeded the safety limits. This transformed the incident from an oddity into a regulatory nightmare.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has strict guidelines regarding lithium batteries on planes due to fire hazards, forcing the robot to be partially disposed of before the flight could go ahead.
As chaos unfolded, a video shared on Instagram by Elite Event Robotics showed Bebop dancing, seemingly relishing the unfolding drama.
After addressing the battery issue, the flight was finally cleared for takeoff.
“We had a good show at @iflyoak until @southwestair confiscated our battery,” the Elite Event Robotics Instagram account captioned a photo of Bebop peering out the plane window, devoid of power. “I’ll be back!”
