Is this the END of suitcases? Airline RENTS clothes to passengers so they don’t need to pack luggage

Lugging around a heavy suitcase on holiday could become a thing of the past if an airline’s clothes rental experiment proves a good fit for customers.

The service, dubbed ‘Any Wear, Anywhere’, allows passengers to rent a bundle of clothing ahead of their flight, which is then delivered straight to their hotel or AirBnb on arrival. 

Japan Airlines launched the scheme yesterday in the hope that it will mean customers can leave bulky bags behind and make a ‘sustainable choice’.

Travellers can tailor their clothing style depending on whether they are on a business or leisure trip, choosing between smart, smart casual and mixed, and can pick up garments in small, medium and large sizes.

One set of clothing will cost ¥4,000 to ¥7,000 (£22-£38), and people will be able to rent up to eight different outfits for as long as two weeks.

Japan Airlines launched the scheme yesterday in the hope that it will mean customers can leave bulky bags behind and make a ‘sustainable choice’

The airline said it launched the scheme to offer its customers more convenience and promote sustainable tourism. It will collect data on whether it helps to cut the weight of bags and levels of carbon emissions.

JAL’s partner, Sumitomo, claims that by leaving 10kg of luggage at home, customers could reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 7.5kg – roughly equivalent to not using a hairdryer for 78 days. 

Sumitomo created the online reservation system for the clothes rental service, and is overseeing the procurement, laundry and delivery of clothes. 

The rentable wardrobes will be sourced from overstocked clothing, JAL says, helping to minimize waste. 

JAL will work out the reduction in carbon emissions based on reduced aircraft weight, and let customers know.

JAL’s partner Sumitomo has created an online reservation system for the clothes rental service

The service is a year-long experiment, and is available to customers between July 5 this year and August 2024.

The tourist perk comes after tight restrictions in Japan throughout the pandemic were lifted.

The country has seen a huge rise in post-Covid visitors in recent months, with the number coming to the country reaching 1.9million.

That is an increase of 1,191 per cent compared with the same month last year, the FT reported.

However, visitors in May were still down on pre-pandemic levels by around 30 per cent, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.