Japanese airline is forced to operate an extra flight after a group of sumo wrestlers were booked on the same plane, making it too heavy to take off
- The elite wrestlers were on their way to Japan’s most important sports festival last week
A Japanese airline was forced to book an extra flight for a group of sumo wrestlers after making their plane too heavy to take off.
The elite wrestlers were scheduled to fly from Tokyo to Osaka last week to take part in Japan’s premier sporting tournament.
But with an average weight of 120kg, officials quickly realized they would have to use additional planes to transfer the athletes, Japan News reported.
“It is extremely unusual for us to operate special flights due to the weight restrictions on this aircraft,” said an airline representative told a local news channel.
Japan Airlines said most passengers weigh about 70 kg (154 lbs).
Illustrative image shows Chiyonofuji Mitsugu, a sumo wrestler, during a tournament at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center in Fukuoka, Japan, in November 1983
“It is extremely unusual for us to operate special flights due to the weight restrictions for this aircraft,” a Japan Airlines (JAL) representative told a local news outlet.
Flights 2465 from Itami and 659 from Haneda were assessed as “potentially overweight” after the sumos prepared to board on September 12, according to 373 news.
The airline then added Flight 4677 from Haneda, taking 14 from the first Haneda flight.
When the National Sports Festival of Japan tournament ended on September 15, the airline prepared another special flight for the return trip so that no one would be left behind in Amami City.
Reports The airline said the airline will also arrange for the regular flight from Fukuoka to Haneda to be upgraded to a ‘bigger aircraft’.
About 460 athletes traveled to Anami for the festival, Japan’s most important sporting event of the year.
The festival has stages for ice hockey and skiing in January and February, before coming together for the main events in September and October.
Sumo wrestling is a traditional Japanese martial art in which two huge wrestlers, or rikishi, try to force each other out of a circular ring or allow any part of the opponent’s body, except the soles of the feet, to touch the ground.
Its origins date back more than a thousand years, with roots in Shinto rituals and military training.
Sumo has evolved from a religious ceremony to a professional sport with strict traditions and customs.
The sport consists of various rituals, a strict hierarchy and a focus on physical strength, balance and technique.
Today it remains a highly regarded and popular sport in Japan, with a rich history and cultural significance.