{
  "id": 5891218,
  "title": "ANA launches inter-airport remote passenger support via telepresence robots",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/ana-launches-inter-airport-remote-passenger-support-via-telepresence",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-06T03:00:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260906/p2g/00m/0bu/016000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "All Nippon Airways Co. has introduced telepresence robots to provide remote passenger assistance at regional airports in western Japan, according to Kyodo news agency. The service, developed in collaboration with Avatarin Inc., a spin-off of ANA Holdings Inc., allows skilled staff based at Kansai International Airport to remotely guide passengers at Hiroshima, Komatsu, Nagasaki, Tottori, and Tsushima airports through check-in procedures and handle inquiries. The two Newme robots, installed at Hiroshima Airport, will expand to the other five airports by the end of October. Inquiries submitted through the robots are managed by a designated team at Kansai airport, a major international hub serving western Japan. In a press demonstration at Hiroshima Airport, a robot enabled a person pretending to be a passenger to interact with a Kansai airport employee, who provided guidance on check-in kiosks and airport facilities. ANA's Maiko Imada, head of the passenger services department at the operation support center, mentioned the possibility of remote assistance for staff working from home in the future.",
  "summary": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- All Nippon Airways Co. has begun rolling out telepresence robots enabling skilled staff based at western Japan's gateway Kansai Inter",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "ANA's adoption of telepresence robots shifts the balance of expertise in remote airport support, centralizing skilled staff at a major hub while extending personalized service to smaller regional airports.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}