Robots will replace people at the airport. They will help with your luggage

Humanoid robots will soon appear at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Not as a tourist attraction, but as real ground staff, where the shortage of labor has been a serious problem for years. Robots will not receive remuneration, but contrary to appearances, they cannot work without interruption. The model that will be used needs charging every two to three hours. The tests will last from May for approximately two years.

Robots will take care of luggage at the airport

The use of new technologies at airports does not surprise anyone. Not only the largest ports in the world, but also small, regional airports are highly automated. However, the use of humanoid robots on the scale that Tokyo plans to use may be impressive. In May, new baggage handlers will appear at Haneda Airport, which serves over 90 million passengers annually. The 130-centimeter machines with human stature were presented for the first time last week, during a media show. Journalists observed, among others: as one of the robots carefully pushed cargo onto a conveyor belt next to a Japan Airlines passenger plane, then waved to an unseen colleague.

Robots are supposed to be a way to fill the hole of staff shortages, especially in positions requiring great physical effort. Japan Airliens’ ground services president, Yoshiteru Suzuki, believes that the use of robots will also significantly reduce the workload of current employees. “Key tasks – such as safety management – ​​will still be performed by people,” writes The Guardian.

The tests will start in May

For now, the robots will be tested – this stage is expected to last from May until 2028. If the project turns out to be a success, it is possible that they will stay with us permanently.

However, the “robotic” employee is not without its drawbacks. Although he does not receive a salary for the work he does, he needs much more frequent breaks than his colleagues. “Robots can work continuously for two to three hours,” we read. In the future, in addition to baggage handling, they will also: clean airplane cabins.