Robot dances at the airport gate, then delays Southwest flight from Oakland to San Diego
Los Angeles Times • • business
Key Points:
- A human-like robot caused a delay on a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to San Diego after its lithium battery was found to exceed the allowable size for carry-on items.
- The flight was delayed by about an hour as the robot's battery had to be removed and checked due to TSA restrictions on lithium batteries.
- The robot had already boarded the plane when the issue was discovered, leading to the delay and some disruption for passengers.
- A video showed the child-sized robot dancing at the gate before the flight, attracting attention from travelers.
- Southwest Airlines confirmed the incident but Elite Event Robotics, the company renting the robot, has not yet commented.
