JAL Tests Humanoid Robots for Airport Ground Handling

Japan Airlines' ground handling arm is about to put humanoid robots to work at airports — and it could be a glimpse at the future of aviation operations worldwide.

 

JAL Grand Service (JGS) and GMO AI & Robotics Trading have announced a joint demonstration experiment launching in May 2026, marking the first trial of its kind in Japan. The project aims to explore how human-shaped robots can step in to address one of the aviation industry's most pressing problems: a chronic shortage of ground handling staff.

Ground handling is tough, physical work — think baggage loading, aircraft towing, cargo operations — carried out in tight spaces around aircraft with complex equipment. Traditional automation hasn't been flexible enough to adapt to these environments without major infrastructure changes. That's where humanoid robots come in. Their human-like range of motion means they can be introduced into existing airport setups without costly modifications to facilities or aircraft.

The experiment will roll out in phases. First, operations will be mapped and analysed to pinpoint where robots can work safely alongside humans. From there, repeated real-world simulations will be conducted, with the long-term goal of having robots reliably complement human workers across a range of tasks — from loading bags to cleaning cabins and eventually operating ground support equipment.

The backdrop to all this is a demographic squeeze hitting Japan particularly hard. An ageing population and declining workforce are colliding with a surge in inbound tourism, leaving ground handling operators struggling to find enough skilled staff to keep up.

JGS brings over seven decades of airport operations experience to the project, while GMO AIR supplies the robots and develops their motion programming, drawing on its Humanoid Dispatch Service and a newly opened physical AI research hub in Shibuya. The GMO Internet Group has declared 2026 its "First Year of Humanoids" — and this airport trial sits right at the centre of that ambition.