apple and united collaborate on introducing a novel method for tracing misplaced baggage utilizing AirTags.
If a misplaced bag contains an Apple AirTag, this information can now be directly handed over to United, as per their announcement on Thursday.
The introduction of a new feature, titled 'Share Item Location', allows travelers utilizing an AirTag or any Find My network-compatible accessory to share the item's location with United's customer service team. This can assist in locating lost luggage.
This feature is now accessible with iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS 15.2.
David Kinzelman, United's chief customer officer, stated, "Apple's Share Item Location feature will provide customers with additional confidence, knowing they have another method to locate their bag's exact position via AirTag or their preferred Find My accessory."
Travelers on United whose bags fail to arrive at their destination can submit a delayed baggage report to United and share the location link of the item through the United app or via text message. Once the report is submitted, customer service agents will be able to locate the item on an interactive map, marked with a timestamp of the most recent update.
The shared location will deactivate once the customer obtains the bag, and customers also have the option to halt the sharing of the item's location at any time. The location link will expire automatically after seven days.
The use of AirTags or other tracking devices on luggage has seen a significant surge in popularity among frequent travelers, post the 2022 Southwest Airlines holiday debacle, which disrupted thousands of travelers over Christmas and into 2023, along with their possessions.
United claims that lost bags are quite uncommon, with over 99% of their customers arriving with their bags. They assert that this new technology will expedite the recovery process for those with lost bags due to the airline having access to more information about them.
Apple has also announced that this service will be integrated at other air carriers, such as Delta Air Lines, in addition to Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Vueling.
Travelers can utilize the 'Share Item Location' feature to assist in finding their misplaced luggage, especially after submitting a delayed baggage report. With this feature, United's customer service team can locate the bag's position using an AirTag or any Find My network-compatible accessory, as a result of the surge in popularity of tracking devices like AirTags among frequent travelers.
