Robot on a plane: SD-bound Southwest flight from Oakland delayed by 'Bebop'
NBC Bay Area • • business
Key Points:
- A humanoid robot named Bebop caused a nearly one-hour delay on a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to San Diego due to uncertainty about how to accommodate it on board.
- Bebop, created by Elite Event Robotics, is a multifunctional robot capable of dancing and serving drinks, typically rented out for events.
- After an event in the Bay Area, Bebop needed to travel to Southern California, but its heavy carrying case was too large to check in, so an employee purchased a ticket for the robot and brought it onto the plane.
- Southwest initially treated Bebop as a carry-on item, which could not occupy a passenger seat, leading to confusion.
- The airline eventually resolved the issue by moving Bebop to a window seat, removing its battery, and allowing the flight to proceed.
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