Japan Airlines and GMO Internet Group will begin a demonstration project in May using humanoid robots to move passengers’ luggage at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. The trial is scheduled to run through 2028 and is intended to test whether robots can improve labor efficiency in ground handling, one of the more physically demanding parts of airport operations.
The timing is notable because Japan’s aviation sector is dealing with stronger inbound travel demand while also facing tighter labor supply as the population ages.
The project stands out because it focuses on back-end airport work rather than passenger-facing robotics. The trial will be led by a JAL ground handling unit together with a GMO group company involved in AI and robotics, and the companies have said they eventually want to expand robot use into areas such as aircraft cabin cleaning.
Reports indicate the humanoid machines can currently operate for two to three hours before recharging, which means they are more likely to serve as support tools than direct replacements for full shifts of human labor.
That limitation does not reduce the strategic importance of the test. Ground handling remains a labor-intensive part of aviation, and even modest gains in productivity could help airports manage rising traffic more effectively.
If the Haneda experiment shows that humanoid robots can take over repetitive and physically demanding tasks while human staff remain focused on safety and supervision, the model could be extended to other Japanese airports. For the travel sector, the trial is an early sign that airport automation is moving beyond software and self-service systems into physical operational work.
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