- ANA first Japanese airline to launch inter-airport remote passenger support
- Staff at Kansai International Airport control robots at regional airports
- Haneda testing achieved 98.4pc resolution rate over 25,000 interactions
- Five regional airports receiving deployment through October 2026
- Initiative integrates human hospitality with digital technology
ANA has become the first Japanese airline to launch inter-airport remote passenger support using “newme” robots, with staff stationed at Kansai International Airport assisting passengers at regional airports from a centralised back-office location. The initiative, developed in partnership with avatarin Inc, builds on extensive operational testing at Haneda Airport that analysed over 25,000 customer interactions and achieved a 98.4pc resolution rate for remote passenger inquiries. The rollout began on 21 August 2026, with Hiroshima Airport receiving the first deployment of 1-2 robot units per location.
The remote support service uses “newme” robots operated centrally from Kansai International Airport, with Tsushima Airport scheduled for deployment on 3 September, Tottori Airport on 1 October, Nagasaki Airport on 15 October, and Komatsu Airport on 28 October 2026. The initiative forms part of the ANA Group’s Mid-Term Management Strategy focus on evolving operations through the integration of human hospitality and digital technology. By introducing remote support, ANA will collect and quantitatively visualise passenger inquiry trends at regional airports for the first time, directly driving continuous improvements in customer support capabilities.
The cross-airport remote support network allows ANA to deliver personalised assistance and enhance the overall airport experience for travellers while achieving sustainable airport operation goals. Future expansion to additional locations will be evaluated after measuring the service’s impact on customer satisfaction and operational performance on the ground. The system creates a seamless virtual support network across airports to gather, analyse, and visualise customer inquiry data at regional hubs.
ANA shared the remote support service using newme robots operated centrally from Kansai International Airport will help elevate frontline customer support capabilities while achieving sustainable airport operation goals.
