On August 19, 2024, JAL put an electric towing tug capable of towing narrow-body jets into service at Naha Airport in Okinawa, becoming the first airline to do so in Japan.
The new TMX-150-E towing tug manufactured by the French ground support equipment manufacturer TLD, of which there are currently just over 40 units in service, “was designed to handle the largest range of narrow-body aircrafts, from CRJ 100 to Airbus A320 family (up to A321neo) through Boeing 737-MAX and COMAC C919” according to the manufacturer’s website.
It can perform approximately 23 push backs or eight towings on a single charge according to JAL.
“We decided to start operating the electric towing tug at Naha Airport after determining that it is where the benefits of the electric towing car could be utilize the most due to having charging infrastructure and [being the base of] Japan Transocean Air, which operates a fleet of 14 737s compatible with the electric tug,” said the airline’s statement.
In addition to the 737, the new tug is also compatible with Embraer E-Jets, which are operated by JAL’s subsidiary J-Air.
The introduction of the narrowbody-jet towing tug at Naha follows the introduction of an electric towing tractor for turboprops by JAL Group company Hokkaido Air System earlier this year.