US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
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.
Insights by Ground AI
Podcasts & Opinions
48 Articles
48 Articles
JAL, GMO to test humanoid robots for airport ground operations
Japan Airlines Co and GMO Internet Group Inc said Monday they will launch a demonstration experiment using humanoid robots to move passengers' luggage at Tokyo's Haneda airport in May, to verify their potential for achieving labor efficiency in ground handling operations. The project, which is scheduled to run through 2028,…
·Sakado, Japan
Read Full ArticleCoverage Details
Total News Sources48
Leaning Left7Leaning Right6Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution44% Center
Bias Distribution
- 44% of the sources are Center
44% Center
L 30%
C 44%
R 26%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
