Future holiday horror: ‘A robot lost my luggage in Tokyo’
Japan Airlines will begin testing humanoid robots at Tokyo's Haneda Airport in May 2026, using them for baggage handling, cabin cleaning, and other tasks to address labor shortages. The two-year trial aims to reduce workloads by deploying robots designed to operate with existing human-scale equipment. The robots, developed by GMO, face challenges including limited battery life and suitability for outdoor conditions. While robots are already present in some airport roles, this trial marks a significant step toward automating physically demanding ground operations.
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AI + ML Future holiday horror: ‘A robot lost my luggage in Tokyo’ Haneda airport will start testing humanoid robots, because everything that gets a plane flying was designed for our species Simon Sharwood Wed 29 Apr 2026 // 02:15 UTC Your next holiday memory might involve humanoid robots losing your luggage. The Register offers that grim prediction after Japan Airlines on Monday announced it will trial humanoid robots for tasks including loading and unloading baggage, cleaning aircraft cabins, and general duties. The carrier notes that Japan suffers from labor shortages and that the myriad pieces of equipment used airside at airports were all designed to be used by humans.
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