Japan Airlines to Pilot Humanoid Robots at Tokyo Haneda Airport
The two-year pilot will test cargo handling first and later expand to cabin cleaning and ground support as JAL seeks to ease labor shortages.
- On Monday, April 27, Japan Airlines and GMO AI & Robotics announced a demonstration experiment using humanoid robots for ground handling at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, with trials beginning in May.
- Japan's aviation sector faces a "serious challenge" due to labor shortages driven by an aging population and more than 7 million foreign visitors in early 2026, the companies said.
- Humanoid machines were chosen because their human shape allows integration "without significant modifications" to existing airport facilities and aircraft layouts, JAL and GMO said.
- JAL Ground Service Co. President Yoshiteru Suzuki said replacing physically demanding tasks with robots "will inevitably reduce workers' burden, providing significant benefits to employees" while human oversight remains essential.
- The phased trial runs through 2028, expanding beyond cargo handling to include cabin cleaning and ground support equipment as the companies establish a "sustainable operating model" for airports.
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Tokyo airport testing out humanoid robot baggage carriers
Tokyo's Haneda airport, also known as Tokyo International, was the third busiest airport in the world in 2025. More than 91 million passengers flew through the airport in 2025. It's the primary hub for Japan Airlines, and for almost 100 years its had to keep up with increasing passenger demand. So, here come the robots. Announced on April 27, a new pilot will bring humanoid robot baggage handlers to Haneda's tarmac to address ongoing labor short…
In Japan tourism is booming, but there is a lack of manpower to deal with it. Humanoid robots are supposed to provide relief at the airport, where they are used.
Japan Airlines Tests Humanoid Robots For Airport Ground Operations
What if your luggage at the airport was handled not by a person—but by a robot? That future is quietly rolling out at Japan Airlines.Starting May, JAL will begin a two-year trial using humanoid robots at Haneda Airport. The plan? Put these machines to work loading and unloading cargo—jobs that are physically demanding and increasingly hard to fill.Why the shift? Japan’s aviation sector is feeling the squeeze. A surge in tourism—over seven millio…
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