How to find lost luggage using AirTag and tracking devices

Airlines lost so much passenger luggage this summer that travel experts say  

In fact, if you hand over your luggage to an airline official, you run the risk of it being left unattended for the duration of your trip. is longer. Many airlines are facing shortages of flight attendants and airport staff, including baggage handlers, resulting in luggage piles at airports around the world. 

According to the Aviation Consumer Protection Agency, the airline mishandled about 220,000 bags in April. This is a 135% increase from the same month last year.A flight at London's Heathrow Airport was so delayed thatDelta Air Lines flew his 1,000 stranded luggage to the United States without passengers on the aircraft. rice field. 

Frequent He Flyers are an effective, high-tech way to track checked baggage when airlines are unable to: is said to have come up with In his checked luggage he packs Apple AirTags and other similar tracking devices. 

"Bags are lost left, right, and in the middle, and in many cases, airlines don't just lose the bag, they make sure the bag is in its original location. We also don't know: Aviation analyst Alex McElrath said he's been using AirTags to track belongings since Apple released the device in April 2021. 

"This is an example of air travel that people can control when many experiences such as weather and delays are uncontrollable. "It's a small area," McElrath said. "Anything that can give you that feeling of control helps you have a smoother experience."

Half the battle in retrieving a missing package, not surprisingly, is locating it. Airlines track checked baggage with barcoded luggage stickers, but the code must be scanned and is not accessible to customers. 

"AirTags are great because you can track them yourself. You don't need someone to scan the barcode," says editor of consumer travel resource The Points Guy. One Clint Henderson said. 

Macheras gifted his AirTag to a friend of his who was traveling with him in Europe, and when he arrived at the baggage claim at his destination airport, Macheras claimed that his luggage had gone missing. Told. 

"The baggage desk claimed the baggage was at the airport of arrival, but indicated to the ground handling agent that they could see the baggage stranded in Paris. 

"The ground handling agents were amazed that they were able to actually tell the airline where the bags were," added Macheras. "I received the bag the next day and they assured me that this wouldn't have happened had the AirTags not been in the bag." 

How AirTags work

Apple sells one of his AirTags for $29, but a pack of four tags costs him $99.

Users can pair the tag with a connected Apple device, such as an iPhone, to keep track and find lost items. The AirTag sends out a Bluetooth signal that is read by nearby Apple devices, sending the AirTag's location to the user. Tags are designed for use with Apple products, but apps are available that allow limited use on Android devices

Similar tracking devices are also popular. According to Tile, which makes competing products that can be attached to your belongings or paired with an app (for both Apple and Android devices), amid a surge in mishandled packages, More and more people are using tags. 

However, in an even more troubling development, AirTags allows stalkers to place wireless tags in, for example, victims' bags or Such as in the fuel tank of a car. 

If the bag is in Düsseldorf but you are not in Düsseldorf

Henderson of The Points Guy could even tell the airline where the luggage is. Even so, they may not have the personnel to physically track it down and send it to you. 

"You can say to the airline, 'My bag is parked in Amsterdam. You can see it there,' but they can go and pick it up for you. "You might say there is no one," he said.. 

One reader reported that when Airtag found a package in Düsseldorf, Germany, the airline sent her package with him. Unable to connect, passengers went to pick up their luggage themselves. I said I was pulled from my luggage. His layover time at Galle airport was only 15 minutes, so he and his plane left without luggage. 

"I ran to the lost and found office to report my missing baggage, but Air France knew where it was. No, thank you, we were able to tell AirTags where the package was and we were able to retrieve it," Al Kuwari told CBS MoneyWatch.

Recently, Thanks to AirTags, Qwari no longer has to wait around the baggage carousel not knowing if a package will show up. 

"Anytime you're at your destination, you can open the app and see if your bag is there. If not, don't waste time waiting for your bag. Go Please report," he said. 

AirTags didn't work the same for everyone. Some users complain that the tracking is delayed or inaccurate. 

"Overall, they're pretty reliable," Henderson said. "I have never heard of a package not being found. I rely on them as an investment."