Business · Ars Technica
Humanoid robots start sorting luggage in Tokyo airport test amid labor shortage
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Humanoid robots are getting a new gig as baggage handlers and cargo loaders at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport—part of a Japan Airlines experiment to address a human labor shortage as airport visitor numbers have surged in recent years.
Key facts
- Japanese government data showed that ground crew numbers across Japan fell from 26,300 to 23,700 between March 2019 and September 2023
- The Japanese companies will test the G1 robot and Walker E robot from Chinese companies Unitree Robotics and UBTECH Robotics, according to The Asia Business Daily
- The demonstration, set to launch in May 2026, could eventually test humanoid robots in a wide range of airport tasks, including cleaning aircraft cabins and possibly handling ground support equipment
- Humanoid robots are getting a new gig as baggage handlers and cargo loaders at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport—part of a Japan Airlines experiment to address a human labor shortage as airport visitor numbers
Summary
The demonstration, set to launch in May 2026, could eventually test humanoid robots in a wide range of airport tasks, including cleaning aircraft cabins and possibly handling ground support equipment such as baggage carts, according to a Japan Airlines press release. This marks the latest foray for humanoid robots after they have already begun pilot-testing in workplaces such as automotive factories and warehouses. Japan Airlines is interested in testing whether humanoid robots powered by some of the latest AI models can adapt more readily to human work environments—such as airports—without requiring dedicated work stations or other significant workplace modifications.