Humanoid robots start sorting luggage in Tokyo airport test amid labor shortage
Summary
Japan Airlines plans to test humanoid robots at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport starting in May 2026 to help with tasks like sorting luggage and loading cargo. This experiment aims to address the shortage of human workers at airports and will run until 2028, with the possibility of expanding robot use to other airport jobs.Key Facts
- The trial will start in May 2026 and last until 2028 at Haneda Airport in Tokyo.
- Japan Airlines and its subsidiary JAL Ground Service are working with GMO AI & Robotics Corporation for the tests.
- The robots being tested are the G1 and Walker E models from Chinese companies Unitree Robotics and UBTECH Robotics.
- Humanoid robots differ from typical factory robots as they must work in more complex, changing environments like airports.
- Robots will begin with tasks such as baggage handling and cargo loading, with potential future roles in cleaning and handling equipment.
- Haneda Airport is Japan’s second-largest airport, with flights arriving roughly every two minutes.
- Japan faces a labor shortage in airport ground staff, with a decline in crew numbers from 26,300 in 2019 to 23,700 in 2023 nationwide.
- Previous robot demonstrations show they still need human help to complete tasks like moving cargo containers.
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