Posted on 04/29/2026 12:00:37 PM PDT by DFG
Lost luggage and battered bags could soon be a thing of the past, as Japan Airlines starts testing robotic baggage handlers.
Starting in May, human workers at Tokyo's busy Haneda airport will have a helping hand from an army of humanoid robots as part of a two–year trial.
The Chinese–made bots will be trained to tackle ground handling tasks like loading cargo containers of luggage on and off flights.
Japan Airlines (JAL) hopes that the new robotic workers will help ease staffing issues as Japan juggles a surge in tourism and a slumping workforce.
The airport will trial two robots: the child–sized 130cm Unitree G1, and the larger 172cm UBTech Walker E, according to Aviation Wire.
In a demonstration for the media, a Unitree G1 was seen gently, if a little unsteadily, nudging a cargo container onto a conveyor belt.
While this display of dexterity might not be that impressive, JAL is confident that robots will start replacing humans in some areas as early as 2028.
Yoshiteru Suzuk, the president of JAL's Ground Service, told reporters that using robots for the heavy lifting will 'provide significant benefits to employees'.
The two–year trial will initially focus on teaching the robots how to complete each physically demanding task, breaking it down into a series of movements.
Once the robots have figured out how to load and unload the bulky cargo containers, they will be able to start working in the airport's ground services team.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.com ...
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Hmmm...will these Chinese robots mess with mechanics/airframe?
As long as they don’t replace the stewardesses with robots. When I fly to Canada I like to hear them do the seatbelt/facemask speech in both English and French. I always ask my wife “Envie de faire l’amour ?”
Will they do the occasionally 5-finger discount?
Real picture or more AI Slop ? LOL
The “child-size” robots; is their model designation Chucky2026?
“The Chinese–made bots”...
No thanks!
At least they won’t steal your stuff!........
We sometimes fly Korean air from Manila on our way back to the US, and they give the announcements in Korean, English, and Tagalog on those flights. I understand the necessity, but it gets tiring.
I like Haneda! Short train ride to Shinagawa, and you can get ANYWHERE from there.
They can presumably slam your luggage around with the best of the regular meat puppets.
There is a video extant of baggage handlers tossing guitars in cases around on the ground. These scum have only themselves to blame for getting replaced.
I guess the baggage handlers will have to learn how to code. Oh wait . . .
The Japanese take to robots, like...well, like the Japanese take to tentacle sex. A force of unnatural nature.
The Japanese gummint legalized liability insurance to cover dama/injury done by robots, what, 20 years go? It sounded then like they were going to get big into robotic manual laborers.
This is how you do it. You DO NOT need hordes of foreigners. Automate more.
Tough job. Not too many young folk to do it. A natural progression.
Chinese robots doing the work japanese robots are no longer doing.
That's the plan, Google "physical AI".
I can’t wait for the updated version of the kids game, “rock’m sock’m robots”. lol. what a hoot that will be.
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