Travelers have long used Apple’s AirTags to make sure their luggage is following them during connections or find it if it goes missing.
With Share Item Location, airlines say they will be able to track down missing bags more effectively.
Delta and United will be the first U.S. airlines to roll out Apple’s new location-tracking feature for AirTags, called Share Item Location. Built on Apple’s powerful Find My network, the feature allows users to share the location of their lost luggage with airlines in real-time.
Travelers have long used AirTags, which can be put inside suitcases or attached outside using an accessory, to track down their luggage. Until now though, there was never a way to officially share the location of the AirTag with airlines, leaving passengers with the job of telling customer service agents where their luggage was and whether it was one the move. Only the owners of an AirTag can generally see its location, although sharing is allowed between Apple users.
With the new feature, available in the public iOS 18.2 beta, users will be able to generate a Share Item Location link through the Find My app on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. The link will let a third party view a website that shows the location of the item with the AirTag on a map and automatically update the location when a new one is available.
Delta and United Among 15 Airlines to Integrate Share Item Location in Customer Service
In a news release, Apple said that 15 airlines, including Delta and United in the U.S., will begin integrating Find My locations into their customer service processes. Other notable airlines include Air Canada, British Airlines, Lufthansa, and Swiss. More airlines will be added over time.
Apple points out that access to each link will be limited to a small number of people at the airline, who will be required to provide authentication in order to view it using their Apple account or a partner email address.
Besides working with airlines to incorporate Share Item Location into customer service, Apple says the new feature will also be built into WorldTracer, a baggage-tracing system used by more than 500 airlines worldwide.
David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer, said that the airline would be making the feature available to its customers soon. United will enable the feature in specific airports at first but aims to have it integrated systemwide in 2025.
“We know many of our customers are already traveling with AirTag in their checked bags, and this feature will soon make it easier for them to share location information with us safely and securely, helping our customer service agents work more efficiently and giving our customers added peace of mind,” Kinzelman said in a statement.
U.S. airlines lose approximately two million suitcases per year, NPR reported in 2023. That may seem like a lot at first glance, but it didn’t amount to 1% of bags processed for any airline that same year.
Images | Apple
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