Overview
- Japan Airlines, working with GMO AI & Robotics, began a two-year pilot in May at Haneda to use humanoid robots for baggage loading, operating ground equipment, and cabin cleaning.
- Haneda will serve as the test site through 2028, with JAL saying feasibility studies and risk assessments are underway before any wider deployment.
- Video demonstrations show Unitree humanoid models moving cargo on a conveyor and greeting workers, though JAL has not confirmed Unitree’s direct role in the airport trial.
- JAL cites a shortfall in ground handlers as tourism grows and Japan’s workforce shrinks, with international arrivals up 3.5% in March and the OECD projecting a 31% drop in working-age population by 2060.
- Analysts say today’s humanoids still struggle with fine dexterity and reasoning, so near-term use will stay narrow even as Chinese makers like Unitree advance and pursue listings to fund growth.