Overview
- Southwest updated its online help center to forbid humanlike or animallike robots in the cabin or as checked bags, regardless of size or purpose.
- The airline says the rule targets lithium-ion battery hazards because damaged or mishandled packs can overheat and start fires on planes.
- Southwest defines these robots by their resemblance in look, movement, or behavior, while other robots and toys are allowed only if they fit in a carry-on and meet battery rules.
- The change followed wide attention on a 3.5-foot robot named Stewie that flew between Las Vegas and Dallas, where staff moved it to a window seat and removed its battery before departure.
- Southwest has not said whether that trip prompted the update, and Stewie’s owner says the battery met airline limits and wants the ban reconsidered.