ANA and avatarin roll out remote passenger support using ‘newme’ robots at regional airports

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

All Nippon Airways and avatarin are expanding remote passenger support across regional airports using ‘newme’ robots operated from Kansai International Airport, combining human expertise and digital technology.

Summary:

All Nippon Airways (ANA) and avatarin are rolling out remote passenger support across regional airports using centrally operated ‘newme’ avatar robots.
The initiative builds on more than 25,000 customer interactions analysed at Haneda Airport, enabling ANA to identify and visualise passenger enquiry trends.
Centralised remote support will help reduce passenger wait times, optimise staffing and improve airport operations, while enabling more personalised customer assistance.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) and avatarin Inc. have started rolling out remote passenger support services across multiple regional airports, utilising ‘newme’ robots operated centrally from Kansai International Airport. This initiative builds on extensive operational testing at Haneda Airport, which analysed over 25,000 customer interactions. By creating a seamless virtual support network across airports to gather, analyse, and visualise customer enquiry data at regional hubs, ANA and avatarin will deliver highly personalised assistance and an enhanced overall airport experience for every traveller.

This effort is a 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 be able to collect and quantitatively visualise passenger enquiry trends at regional airports for the first time, directly driving continuous improvements in customer support capabilities. Future expansion to additional locations will be evaluated after thoroughly measuring the service’s impact on customer satisfaction and operational performance on the ground.

Customer enquiries received via ‘newme’ robots deployed at regional airports will be handled centrally from Kansai International Airport. By establishing a virtual support infrastructure that operates seamlessly across regions, ANA can provide immediate assistance whenever needed. This ensures passengers receive prompt guidance reducing wait times, even during off-peak hours or periods when onsite staffing is limited between flights.

By combining cutting-edge technology with human expertise, ANA and avatarin will continue to pioneer innovative customer service models that respond to evolving needs and advance sustainable operations across the aviation industry.