Japan’s main airline had to change suddenly when it realized that two planes could become too heavy. It wasn’t because of the extra suitcases but because the passenger list included some of the country’s biggest sumo wrestlers.
What was the challenge?
To ensure that these planes did not exceed the weight limits, Japan Airlines did something “very unusual”: they organized a special flight for some of the sumo athletes so that there would be enough fuel for their original flights.
As the sumo wrestlers traveled from Tokyo and Osaka to the Special National Sports Festival on Amami Ōshima Island, fate took an unexpected turn.
The unexpected dilemma unfolded when it was revealed that these athletes, with an average weight of 264.55 pounds (120 kg), were significantly heavier than the typical passenger by a whopping 100 pounds (45 kg), as reported by Japan Airlines.
Given the weight of the sumo wrestlers, there were concerns that the two Boeing 737-800s would not be able to accommodate the necessary amount of fuel due to weight restrictions.
Amami Airport’s reputation for posing challenges to large aircraft during arrival and departure added to the complexity.
How did the airline resolve the problem?
Representative image
The sumo wrestlers, who were due to compete in a sports festival on Amami Oshima Island, were initially contracted to fly on Boeing 737-800 planes from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Osaka’s Itami Airport.
However, a late discovery by staff revealed that the fighters, with an estimated average weight of 120 kg, significantly exceeded the average passenger weight of 70 kg.
This raised concerns about the fuel capacity of the planes, as the runway at Amami Airport could not accommodate larger planes.
Japan Airlines had to arrange an extra flight for 27 wrestlers, including 14 who needed to fly from Itami to Haneda before boarding the memorable journey. Reports indicate that additional flights were planned to transport the wrestlers back after the competition ended on Sunday.
The world of sumo wrestlers is no stranger to unusual travel.
tokiodesu
In 2014, a viral image showed fighters sharing a small plane with regular passengers. These male athletes, all from the Hakkaku group in Tokyo, were often seen in similar overcrowded conditions while traveling by bus to summer training camps.
Sumo wrestlers can vary greatly in size. While some are similar in size to athletes such as England rugby captain Owen Farrell, others are considerably larger.
Is there a weight limit to become a sumo wrestler?
The heaviest rikishi ever recorded, a Russian-born wrestler named Rora, who retired in 2018, reached a peak weight of 292.6kg.
In sumo, wrestlers can reach staggering weights, often two or three times that of the average adult. What is surprising is that there is no minimum weight requirement to enter the world of sumo wrestling. It is a sport that welcomes competitors of all sizes, highlighting the diversity within this ancient and revered tradition.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn