Last weekend, German airline Lufthansa sparked some outrage among its customers by claiming that it has now banned AirTags in checked luggage from its flights. Despite tweets from Lufthansa''s official Twitter account, which explains that the trackers are considered dangerous goods, the company now claims that it is not prohibited from using Apples AirTag.
Lufthansa may have considered banning AirTags
Some users shared on Twitter that Airhansa is prohibited from using airliners. Lufthansa issued a statement, stating that, plus specifically, it is now prohibited from carrying passengers as they are classified as dangerous.
Owners of AirTag (and presumably other similar trackers) must turn off their phones before checking their bags. The company then justified its decision on the grounds that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines stipulate that equities with a transmission function must be deactivated during a flight.
Airhansa has issued a statement that it would not prohibit AirTags from its flights, according to a spokesperson. However, the company notes that there is a permanent ICAO requirement on such devices, but this is nothing to do with Lufthansa or any other carrier. At this point, the airline has not announced that it will prohibit AirTags from its flights.
While the ICAO does indeed have a specific requirement for electronic devices in checked luggage, it does not apply to those who have lithium ion batteries, such as smartphones and tablets. Apples AirTag uses a CR2032 battery, which is small and not dangerous to the safety of a flight. These are, after all, the same batteries used by traditional watches.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) determines the requirements for carrying on an aircraft. Airlines may make minor changes to their own policies, but Lufthansa is likely to not have the authority to prohibit AirTags, especially when other airlines do not care.
Hi, David, Lufthansa is prohibiting active AirTags from traveling as they are classified as dangerous and must be turned off./Mony
Lufthansa (@lufthansa) October 8, 2022
People have been using AirTags to locate lost luggage.
Airhansa may have thought to have banned Apples AirTag from its flights. In the past, several individuals were reported to be missing their bags due to AirTag.
Apples item tracker is easily placed anywhere. Since it communicates with other Apple devices around and does not require an internet connection, it is a great way to keep things organized like backpacks and suitcases.
Earlier this year, a guy recovered his bags that was lost by Aer Lingus during a trip. Although the company claimed that it had no clue where the bags were, AirTags showed him their location, which was helpful to the police arriving and retrieving the bags. This could lead airlines to reconsider banning items trackers.
This is unlikely to become a trend among other airlines.