The technology giant announced they will begin working with airlines to share AirTag information from inside luggage, which will in turn allow them to reconnect flyers with bags faster.

 

Airlines to Accept Share Item Location as Part of Lost Luggage Report

The planned feature is part of the latest update to the iOS platform, iOS 18.2. The operating system will roll out Share Item Location, allowing users who have items with AirTags attached to share the last known location with a third party. The goal is to help users recover their items faster than if they were working on their own.

 

As part of the integration, Apple is working with more than 15 airlines to accept Share Item Location reports as part of their missing luggage reporting. Flyers who have an AirTag attached to a checked bag will be able to share location data with their carrier, with the goal of locating and reuniting bags quicker. Major carriers who will soon accept the Find My location data include Air Canada, Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa, United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic.

 

In addition to working with airlines, Apple will also work with air transport technology leader SITA to integrate Share Item Location information into the company’s WorldTracer software. The baggage tracking platform is currently used by over 500 airlines across 2,800 global airports.

 

While airlines are eager to add the new data into their baggage tracking and recovery systems, the timelines are varied for integration. While United says their goal is to start rolling out the program at select airports now, their goal for systemwide integration is early 2025. Other airlines have not stated when they expect to add the technology into their systems.

 

Feature image courtesy: Đức Trịnh on Unsplash

Source: frugal travel guy