Real-time, private baggage tracing can be a key element in passenger experience, security or in-flight service delivery.
Apple's Airtags are tracking devices that can be used to can be used to locate lost objects. So far, we have been able to familiarise ourselves with them in apps that allow us to easily track objects such as keys, wallets, backpacks and more. All you need to do is set them up on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and attach them to the corresponding item.
Apple's AirTags are the best-known example, but there are now Android-compatible alternatives, such as Moto Tag, Chipolo, and Pebblebee, which are integrated into the Google Find My Device network. They all serve the same purpose: to help locate personal items using collaborative networks of nearby devices.
In the airline industry, one of the ways to use them is to include them in checked baggage when travelling. This can be useful for locating luggage in case it gets lost during the flight or at the airport. However, apart from the obvious advantages, there are also some considerations to bear in mind.
¿How detection technology works and how do they transmit their location?
Apple AirTags do not have a built-in GPS receiver or their own cellular connection. They use Bluetooth to be detected by nearby Apple devices, and when they are out of the user’s direct range, they use the “Find My” collaborative network to transmit their approximate location in an encrypted format.
When they aren't close enough to “pair” via Bluetooth, they use “Find My Network” technology to transmit their location through any Apple device—whether it's yours or someone else's. Once they share their location, only the owner can detect it and view its location on a map through the app designed to locate devices associated with your user account.
It is important to note that although Bluetooth technology is a standard, this network functionality—which allows any mobile phone or tablet from any manufacturer to be used—is only available on devices from the manufacturer itself. Additionally, the accuracy of the location displayed on the map may vary depending on the number of devices in the coverage area and the quality of the Bluetooth signal.
It is clear that this technology offers some advantages to the passenger, once the tracking device is inserted in the checked baggage:
- Helps locate luggage: If your luggage goes missing during the flight or at the airport, the device emits a signal that can be detected by other Apple devices, such as iPhones or iPads, that have the “Find My” app enabled. This allows you to see the location of your luggage on a map and retrieve it more easily.
- If you are travelling in transit, it can be useful for knowing if your luggage has been delayed or diverted en route, and thus save you waiting at baggage reclaim, with the sad certainty that it has not arrived on your flight.
Like any innovation, this technology can also have some drawbacks:
- Cost: They can now be considered low-cost items. In fact, there are many models and brands that offer prices that are almost always below about 35 euros. If you travel with several suitcases or take multiple trips, the cost of buying several of them can be significant.
- Requires a device from the same manufacturer to be able to track it ourselves, as it is a proprietary technology that is not available to third parties.
- The tracking device needs the presence of sufficient devices of the same mark on the baggage route when it is far away from us in order to be effective. This may be more or less common depending on the country, in addition to the fact that in automatic baggage handling areas, the so-called BHS (Baggage Handling System), there may be very few staff with mobile phones or data network coverage to be able to receive the location.
Initial regulatory concerns regarding the transport of these devices were resolved once it was confirmed that the lithium button batteries they contain meet international requirements for travel in checked baggage. Currently, many airlines even incorporate the information provided by these devices to assist with baggage retrieval.
In fact, the trend in the industry points toward a gradual integration between official baggage tracking systems (IATA Resolution 753) and the new tracking technologies used by passengers themselves.
In addition, since late 2024, Apple has allowed users to temporarily share an AirTag’s location with the airline using the “Share Item Location” feature. This information can be used to supplement the PIR report and platforms such as WorldTracer to expedite luggage recovery, without replacing official tracking systems.
Although AirTag is the best-known device, there are currently alternatives compatible with the Google Find My Device network for Android. In all cases, these devices complement the tracking systems implemented by airlines and airports in accordance with IATA Resolution 753.
There is no doubt that this is a technology that is here to stay and that will become increasingly widespread. Therefore, it is good to be aware of its existence and its advantages and disadvantages, and it is even a solution that could be considered for use by airlines, handling agents or airport managers for multiple activities that could improve their baggage management, security or the provision of services aimed at the passenger experience.
Key related topics: Baggage Tracking, Resolution 753 and Airport Operations
