OAKLAND, CA — A dancing humanoid robot traveling for work prompted an hour-long delay at Oakland San Francisco Bay International Airport Thursday due to safety concerns, according to a report from ABC7.
"Bebop," a 70-pound robot by Elite Event Robotics, was set to board a Southwest Airlines flight to San Diego, but caused a delay due to its lithium battery exceeding the company's maximum allowable size, according to the report.
Video posted by Elite Event Robotics shows Bebop putting on a show and dancing for people at the airport before its battery was taken out.
Eventually, the robot made it onboard the flight, according to the company.
"Bebop travels nationwide for events, and this moment definitely drew some attention," Elite Event Robotics said online. "We worked closely with the airline crew to make sure everything was handled safely."
Although some people at the airport appeared to find the robot enteratining, the Elite Event Robotics has drawn criticsm online due to the antics.
"Think this is fine as long as you are buying a seat for it," one person commented on the company's post about the incident Thursday. "Should contact the airline to ensure no delay in future for other passengers sake."
"Your publicity stunt caused a significant delay, making the entire flight late and causing me to miss a connecting flight," another comment said. "This resulted in a two-hour wait and an additional $400 expense."
Read more from ABC7.
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