A human-like robot delayed a flight from Oakland to San Diego on Thursday and caused a stir among passengers.
The flight arrived in San Diego International Airport about an hour late, according to data from FlightAware, but at least those who experienced the delay were treated to a show.
A customer on the flight had purchased a seat for the robot, Southwest Airlines said in a statement.
“The device’s lithium battery exceeded the maximum allowable size, so the customer was asked to remove it,” the statement said.
The robot had already been taken on board when the flight crew determined that its battery was too large and should be checked, causing a minor delay. The Transportation Security Administration put restrictions on lithium batteries on planes due to the risk of fire.
In a video shared on Instagram by Elite Event Robotics, a business that rents human-like robots for events, a child-sized robot could be seen dancing at a Southwest Airlines gate.
Elite Event Robotics did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
