AirTags

[Sts121]

Hi,

does anyone have any links to clarification on whether these are allowed in checked bags for the hold?

from what I’ve read on the CAA site that seems to suggest not. There seems to be a lot of conflicting stuff out there about whether you can use them or not.

last time I was in New York another passenger walked off with my case to her hotel. Took 2 days to get it back and we were only there for 4 days so these seem like a good idea. I do use them for other things so have a few knocking about.

[Dave Gittins]

Just Google "are airtags allowed on planes".

I bought my AirTag in February and so far have used it on a couple of flights and a cruise and it performed well, although it seems to take a few minutes to orientate itself as it moves from place to place.

See no reason why it shouldn't be used on my checked bag. All stories I can see about lithium in batteries or Bluetooth transmitting in flight have been thoroughly de bunked.

Still debating whether to get more, as usually have 4 items of checked luggage when travelling to the USA.

[Sts121]

Just Google "are airtags allowed on planes".

I bought my AirTag in February and so far have used it on a couple of flights and a cruise and it performed well, although it seems to take a few minutes to orientate itself as it moves from place to place.

See no reason why it shouldn't be used on my checked bag. All stories I can see about lithium in batteries or Bluetooth transmitting in flight have been thoroughly de bunked.

Still debating whether to get more, as usually have 4 items of checked luggage when travelling to the USA.

thanks. It was google that cause my confusion. Various articles in the daily rags about then being banned but these are from October time last year.

I can find an article which states the FAA says they are allowed. Seems a bit more vague everywhere else

[davidjohnson6]

Airlines (Lufthansa in particular) came up with all kinds of rubbish and b*llsh*t at to why they weren't allowed, mainly to make themselves look less bad whenever luggage was lost
Buy them, use them and, if there's any trouble, ignore the airline bluster because they won't want the publicity of a court case

[Thirsty]

Your airline you are flying with has the last say.
Check with them first and get it in writing if they say OK.
AirTags rely on proximity to Internet connected Apple iPhones and BlueTooth on those phones being switched on to send their location updates, so you may not have reliable information if there aren't any around.

Unique markings on your suitcase will prevent the confusion of somebody accidentally picking up a suitcase which looks identical to theirs, and will possibly deter thieves if you can spot your gaudy marked suitcase across the terminal being wheeled out by a suspicious type. Sure, back this up with an embedded AirTag discreetly hidden.

Best be waiting at the baggage collection point as the suitcases come rolling out, then you have a better chance of spotting yours before somebody is tempted to walk off with it.

[PAXboy]

My partner had her case picked up off the belt at Malaga last year. Fortunately, found out quickly enough. But, by the time, I caught up with him - he was already out through the 'no return'. This meant I had to phone the others to say that I had got it and they were to bring my case out as i could not go back!

Now with extra labels and obvious tags on the handles.

[Dave Gittins]

Asking for a definitive response from any airline is likely to result in obfuscation and a probable refusal in order to "be on the safe side", as it originally did with Lufthansa.

The two issues were :

1. the possibility of lithium in the batteries, which has been rejected, and

2. the issue of "must be switched off during flight" which is a confusion between erroneously crediting AirTags with emitting and connecting to 4G/5G vs. the reality that it's a Bluetooth device which only works when it can broadcast via an adjacent Apple device it manages to latch on to (hence the reason why when in motion and not close to me it is so slow to update it's position).

Bluetooth devices are not banned on aircraft in any phase of flight, as any Bluetooth headphone / earbud user will know.

[V_2]

Bluetooth devices are not banned on aircraft in any phase of flight, as any Bluetooth headphone / earbud user will know.

All electronic devices are prohibited during low visibility operations such as an auto-land. Whether CC chose to, or even can enforce that is a different matter.

[crewmeal]

On a flight last year I put an air tag in my case and followed it through Teminal 2 at LHR to a baggage trolley. There it stayed and nothing happened whilst the B777 was taxiing to 27R. Fortunately the barcode on my baggage tag confirmed that my case had transferred at Cairo to my connecting flight to Luxor.

Again checking my case I found it was situated in the middle of the Nile! OK I was on a boat but not sure if these airtages are all that accurate.

Tomorrow I'm moving house and popped it in a box and I hope I can track the removal van up the M1!!

[Sts121]

When a lady walked off with my case in Newark airport I had no idea. We were the last through to the luggage area and it had already gone. She left her case which to be honest looked nothing like mine. I thought with an AirTag in a populated area I might have got it back sooner. Or hoped.

I think I might leave it for now. I know Jet2 will say no and I don’t want the hassle of a debate should they find it. I do think there needs to be some clarification on this kind of thing tho. I understand the FAA have said they are totally safe and allowed.

I already own an AirTag that I have hidden in my car. I know there is drawbacks to using it in this way should it ever be stolen but it’s well hidden somewhere you won’t find it easily. It tracks really well to be honest. It’s hardly “live” but updates often enough to be worth a try at £25 to be honest.

thanks guys

[MechEngr]

On a flight last year I put an air tag in my case and followed it through Teminal 2 at LHR to a baggage trolley. There it stayed and nothing happened whilst the B777 was taxiing to 27R. Fortunately the barcode on my baggage tag confirmed that my case had transferred at Cairo to my connecting flight to Luxor.

Again checking my case I found it was situated in the middle of the Nile! OK I was on a boat but not sure if these airtages are all that accurate.

Tomorrow I'm moving house and popped it in a box and I hope I can track the removal van up the M1!!

Airtags don't know where they are. They communicate with nearby iPhones and the location is of the iPhone they have contacted. If the iPhone has a good GPS lock or uses some form of dead reckoning /inertial integration, as when inside a building, then the iPhone can report that location. By off-loading the tracking function to phones it doesn't need to expend much energy.

[Mr A Tis]

Very confusing, KLM told me no, then changed to yes. Lufthansa & BA say yes. Jets 2 said yes - but TUI was a definite no way can they be used in checked baggage. easyJet said it is up to the airport (?), When I asked the CAA they were non definitive either saying they are seeking clarifications from IATA.

[S.o.S.]

Thanks for the input Mr A Tis. Yes, this ruling is all clear as mud. Very few want to take responsibility.

[SpringHeeledJack]

Surely an airtag, or similar is no different than some earphones/earbuds or any other small device with a button battery inside ? As has been mentioned up the thread, the airtag doesn't know where it is and it's 'transmission' range/EMF must be pretty small and weak in comparison to other possible hold items. Perhaps it's a battery safety concern by the airlines ?

[Asturias56]

Yes - it's like the "Turn off your phone" instruction - practically it makes no difference (I'm sure at least 5% of phones were never turned off on any flight I was on) but its easier for Airlines to say NO to any new technology - that way it's CMA if something goes wrong - or you can find a way of charging people a fortune for a similar service

[MechEngr]

The main problem AirTags and any similar trackers in checked bags pose to airlines is it lets passengers know when the airline is lying to them about where the bags are. That is a tremendous danger to airline operators, particularly when the AirTag user goes public with where the bag went. Example: when a bag was tracked to the home of an airline employee and dozens of other "lost" bags were found there as well or, in this case, a subcontractor the airline trusted:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/united-passenger-goes-viral-sharing-luggage-saga-rcna64084 for example.

[PAXboy]

The airlines - along with so many corporates - are still having difficulty in understanding the power of a Smartphone. Yes, some people abuse that and make up photos and stories but they need to respond to this new 'complaint line' that cannot be filtered and controlled by them.

[Less Hair]

The only way out is for airlines is to track the baggage themselves. Air tags on every checked bag, like maybe hidden inside the frequent flyer baggage plastic tag or similar, and then constantly show where the luggage is on the passenger smartphone. Airlines can monitor their processes and flows too concerning third parties.

[Asturias56]

no money in it for them

[Less Hair]

If stuff gets misdirected or delayed, they could prove where it happened and where it ended up and who is to blame, couldn't they?

[Asturias56]

yeah but suing is expensive

[davidjohnson6]

Sunlight is the best disinfectant - Louis Brandeis
And no, that does not mean the literal use of exposing bacteria/viruses to high levels of ultra violet light

Airline management should be encouraging the use of AirTags. The passenger pays the cost for an airline to track missing luggage and helps identify its current location. It also helps identify any bad actors around theft of luggage, discourages any future theft by similiar actors and lowers baggage loss statistics. The passenger spends the time on tracking the baggage without an airline having to pay or even train an employee to do anything. All without any capital expenditure by the airline. What's not to like ?