Passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to San Diego found themselves arriving over an hour late on Thursday, all thanks to an unexpected traveler garnering attention on the runway. This traveler was none other than a humanoid robot named Bebop.
Bebop, weighing in at 70 pounds, was on a work-related journey. However, before the flight could take off, the robot became the center of a whirlwind of questions and safety inspections that delayed departure.
Before the flight, Bebop entertained passengers with a brief performance, showcasing its capabilities. However, the real drama began once the robot was securely fastened in its seat.
“They started asking about the types of batteries it had and what was going on with it. They wanted to inspect it,” explained Eily Ben-Abraham from Elite Event Robotics, the company responsible for Bebop.
Chana Ben-Abraham, also with Elite Event Robotics, shared her experience, saying, “I was watching the flight updates online and kept seeing ‘runway delay’ pop up.”
“And meanwhile, I’m, like, watching his flight, and I keep seeing online, ‘runway delay,’” said Chana Ben-Abraham with Elite Event Robotics.
In a statement, Southwest Airlines said Bebop’s lithium battery exceeded the airline’s maximum allowable size and was confiscated, leading to the delay.
Elite Event Robotics said it is now working to recover the battery before its next scheduled appearance.
Dustin Dorsey: “So, will Bebop be joining you on another flight then in the future?”
“He’ll be there on Sunday,” Chana Ben-Abraham said. “We’re overnighting batteries to Chicago tomorrow to hopefully be able to fulfill the next event request.”
“At the moment, we got him under 100 pounds, so I shouldn’t have to worry about actually, like, walking him through the terminals,” Eily Ben-Abraham said.
The delay ended, and the flight continued — leaving behind a travel story that could only be told in the Bay Area.
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