AirTags have become a trending topic in travel over the past year, touted as a simple and easy way for passengers to track their checked baggage – even if their airline can’t. .
Small devices can be stowed in baggage and transmitted its location to Apple devices, which has helped passengers’ scores pinpoint the exact location of their baggage after their carrier has handled it. wrong.
Now, the headlines have started circulating that one of the biggest airline conglomerates won’t allow them anymore.
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Baggage trackers are portable electronic devices and are therefore subject to dangerous goods regulations issued by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) for carriage on aircraft. flying,” Lufthansa spokesman Boris Ogursky said in an emailed statement. “Accordingly, due to their streaming function, tracking devices must be deactivated during the flight, similar to mobile phones, laptops, tablets, etc.”
While it looks like Lufthansa is moving to ban these devices, it’s possible the carrier hasn’t changed any policies.
Instead, it looks like it’s just now enforcing a long-standing ban on including AirTags as their use in checked baggage has increased in recent months.
The ban is for lithium-based batteries that power devices. The guidelines of ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organization, can be interpreted strictly to mean that these devices are prohibited.
Lufthansa told TPG it would respond with further clarification beyond the above statement, but it was unclear when that might come.
But enforcement of the ICAO guidelines that are clearly Lufthansa’s raises further questions.
First, can other airlines cite ICAO rules as more travelers use them? And, second, how will Lufthansa’s policy be enforced? Customers may be asked for AirTags at check-in, but if they don’t – or if they lie – security officers won’t be looking for the device when baggage is checked in. express permission AirTags in both checked and carry-on baggage.
It all comes after one summer of travel disruption – including at the hub of Lufthansa at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) – coincidentally the rise of AirTag to become an invaluable tool to locate lost and mishandled checked baggage.
Now, Lufthansa customers – as well as Lufthansa Group carriers such as Austria, Switzerland and Brussels – may have to rethink their use of AirTags.
What causes concern for AirTags in checked baggage is their lithium metal batteries, specifically one called CR2032, It’s about the size of a small coin and traditionally powers wristwatches and car keys. They carry a lithium metal content of about 0.1 grams – a very small amount.
But ICAO regulations cited by Lufthansa say it’s impossible to test all items with lithium-powered batteries if they can’t be powered off – like AirTags.
The concern is related to the risk of fire. It is much easier to put out a fire on an airplane using the fire extinguishers on board, when something catches fire in the cabin. Extinguishing a fire in an airplane’s cargo compartment is not so easy.
But the risk is not clear for the small amounts of lithium contained in AirTags: there are no known cases of devices catching fire in the aircraft’s cargo hold.
And, so far, US agencies like the FAA or TSA have not indicated they intend to follow Lufthansa’s lead to explicitly disallow tracking devices. Even Lufthansa has said it favors an exemption that would allow trackers with low batteries and transmission capacity for checked baggage.
For now, however, travelers’ immediate attention will turn to seeing how Lufthansa enforces the guidance – and wondering if airlines in other parts of the world can do the same.
Matt Blake contributed reporting.
