To address a longstanding efficiency challenge in cabin crew’s reporting workflows, the airline partnered technology consultants to implement small-language-model GenAI

Japan Airlines (JAL) was facing a persistent operational challenge: the creation of detailed handover reports by its cabin crew.

These reports, essential for transferring critical information between flight and ground staff, were time-consuming and often detracted from the crew’s ability to focus on passenger service. As the airline seeks to enhance both operational effectiveness and customer experience, addressing this inefficiency was a priority.

On 27 March 2025, JAL has been announced to have turned to generative AI (GenAI) and a small language model (SLM) specifically optimized for offline environments to tackle the challenge. A critical benefit of using SMLs is that it does not require cloud connectivity.

In pilot testing, an AI-powered system was deployed on tablet devices used by cabin crew, enabling them to input key details quickly and efficiently during or after flights. The system would then generate complete, standardized reports, significantly reducing the time required for this task while maintaining high-quality outputs.

One of the key advantages of the system was its ability to simplify reporting workflows. Cabin crew members could input information using checkboxes and short phrases, which the AI automatically expanded into comprehensive reports. This not only saved time — cutting complex report creation from an hour to just 20 minutes — but also ensured consistency and accuracy across all reports.

Said Keisuke Suzuki, Executive Officer and Head, Digital Technology Division, JAL: “We are delighted to have conducted this proof-of-concept for a GenAI solution aimed at enhancing the efficiency of cabin crew operations through our collaboration with Fujitsu and Headwaters. By leveraging GenAI, we aim to streamline the handover report creation process and reduce the burden on our cabin crew, allowing them to provide more personalized and attentive service to each customer. We look forward to further improving customer service through this initiative.”

According to Fujitsu’s Shinichi Miyata, Head of Cross-Industry Solutions Business Unit, Global Solutions Business Group: “This joint proof-of-concept contributes to the advancement of GenAI in offline environments, and has the potential to transform operations across various industries and roles where network access is limited… Moving forward, we remain committed to strengthening our partnership to support our customers’ business expansion and address societal challenges.”