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beerseagulls

macrumors 6502a
Aug 18, 2021
814
614
if I put Airtag on a checked bag, will it beep frequently and annoy or alert baggage handlers, TSA guys or thieves?
 

Juicy Box

macrumors 604
Sep 23, 2014
7,579
8,919
I also would like to know. Seems like the benefits of using an AirTag on items that might be potentially stolen no longer exist.


Due to the anti-tracking initiatives, AirTags are basically broken.
 
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Coffee50

macrumors 6502a
Apr 23, 2015
881
495
if I put Airtag on a checked bag, will it beep frequently and annoy or alert baggage handlers, TSA guys or thieves?

I highly doubt it. People have been using AirTags for travel since their release. The amount of luggage (and noise) in any given area during the transport will most likely drown out any beeping (the beeps aren't that loud, and in an environment like an airport, most likely ineffective)

TSA, baggage handlers, etc are are pretty well aware of AirTags, so I'm sure it's a non issue.
 

xraydoc

Contributor
Oct 9, 2005
11,001
5,471
192.168.1.1
I used one in my checked bag two weeks ago when I went to Chicago and back. Worked great.

I could see my bag sitting in baggage check in, I could see when it got to the plane and I could see that it landed with me when I turned my phone back on after the flight.

Like noted above, don’t expect real-time monitoring, but it gave me peace of mind that my bag didn’t get sent to the wrong place.
 

beerseagulls

macrumors 6502a
Aug 18, 2021
814
614
I used one in my checked bag two weeks ago when I went to Chicago and back. Worked great.

I could see my bag sitting in baggage check in, I could see when it got to the plane and I could see that it landed with me when I turned my phone back on after the flight.

Like noted above, don’t expect real-time monitoring, but it gave me peace of mind that my bag didn’t get sent to the wrong place.

so if I arrive at Honolulu airport, I can see that my checked bag isn't actually at Anchorage airport? :) (or.. if it is, I don't have to wait 20 minutes at baggage claim until the last bag comes out and just go to the airline's baggage office and start filing a claim?) :)
 

AsherN

macrumors 6502a
May 11, 2016
612
2,763
Canada
so if I arrive at Honolulu airport, I can see that my checked bag isn't actually at Anchorage airport? :) (or.. if it is, I don't have to wait 20 minutes at baggage claim until the last bag comes out and just go to the airline's baggage office and start filing a claim?) :)
Yes. When the airline lost my luggage in Frankfurt, I didn't wait until all the bags were offloaded, as soon as my wife's suitcase showed up, we proceeded to the counter where i showed them the tracker still in Toronto. They processed the claim. And when it did make it's way back home, the delivery was a **** show, but I was able to send AC screen shots of where the case travelled with the ****** delivery company, including at the driver's house overnight.
 
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markphil1424

macrumors newbie
Jul 11, 2015
27
10
OH, USA
I've used them now on several flights without any issues. Nice to be able to confirm your bags are on the plane with you especially when making another connection.
 
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lordhamster

macrumors 68000
Jan 23, 2008
1,680
1,702
A plane acts like a Faraday cage, and can block many signals. (There aren't any windows in the cargo hold) And I'm sure that some planes block signals better than others.

But, so far they have kind of worked better than the baggage tracking on Delta. I was on a flight earlier in the year and the return flight didn't get me a notice that Delta loaded my bag, yet the AirTag was 'with me'. Outbound, the AirTags showed they were in the main baggage sort at ATL, which gave me some angst, but after opening the Delta app, saw they were loaded (I then turned on notifications in the Delta app🤦🏻‍♂️). It's not perfect technology because reality, but it can be a powerful tool to keep your stuff with you. Just not likely in planes, trains, buses. On reflection, the experience was 50/50. Delta won one round, and Apple won the other.

I'm sure they will really help in the baggage claim. A decade ago, or more, someone grabbed my main suitcase and headed for the door. If not for the eagle eyes of my wife, they might have gotten away with it. They also claimed they 'mistook your suitcase for theirs' and yet went out with one that didn't look anything like mine. Hmm... Dementia, or deliberate.
Planes works like leaky faraday cages. However, airtags don't need to talk to anything outside of the plane. They connect to phones inside the plane...which presumably connect to towers via the windows (while near the ground) or via in-flight wifi.

Most flights this year, I saw the tag was either "with me" or on the plane for sure.
 

AsherN

macrumors 6502a
May 11, 2016
612
2,763
Canada
Planes works like leaky faraday cages. However, airtags don't need to talk to anything outside of the plane. They connect to phones inside the plane...which presumably connect to towers via the windows (while near the ground) or via in-flight wifi.

Most flights this year, I saw the tag was either "with me" or on the plane for sure.
Don't really need to see the tag while in flight. Usually seeing it at the gate/near the plane before take off means it will be on the plane. And then seeing it at the destination airport confirms it made it.
 

EastHillWill

macrumors 6502
Dec 2, 2020
472
551
Boise, ID
I put mine inside the luggage in a non-obvious location. As others mentioned, I don’t get constant visibility, and there are sometimes delays/data lag even when it should be communicating. But, it provides very reassuring piece of mind, especially for my wife. So overall they work great IMO.

Also: My bag was semi-lost early last year—the airline didn’t know where it was, but I could see it was in a specific part of the ATL airport. The bag was also tagged with my contact info, so I think sooner or later I would have got it back. However, being able to know and share the physical location with the airline definitely made things quicker, and also put my mind at ease.
 
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antipodean

macrumors regular
May 2, 2014
198
145
Super useful for a recent family trip (London to Orlando via Atlanta). Luggage was delayed at ATL, but we were able to track our bags without difficulty from an AirTag inside the suitcase. Bags came on the next flight after ours. Was especially nice to wake up the next morning and see that they’d been couriered to the hotel and we’re waiting for us in reception.
 
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contacos

macrumors 603
Nov 11, 2020
5,447
20,738
Mexico City living in Berlin
I used it on a recent trip
Frankfurt > Dubai > Bengaluru and it worked well. I loved to be in the known that the luggage arrived before even leaving the plane. I am usually getting anxiety, waiting for my luggage at the carrousel but this time I was happy to know it’s there for sure. So much calmer
 
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beerseagulls

macrumors 6502a
Aug 18, 2021
814
614
I used it on a recent trip
Frankfurt > Dubai > Bengaluru and it worked well. I loved to be in the known that the luggage arrived before even leaving the plane. I am usually getting anxiety, waiting for my luggage at the carrousel but this time I was happy to know it’s there for sure. So much calmer

I recently used them in my checked bags as well. When the plane was pulling up to the gate, I could see that my bag was there... but strangely, it did not update its location again until it came out of baggage claim. Was it because it could not receive anything between the gate in another terminal and the baggage claim area?
 

AsherN

macrumors 6502a
May 11, 2016
612
2,763
Canada
I recently used them in my checked bags as well. When the plane was pulling up to the gate, I could see that my bag was there... but strangely, it did not update its location again until it came out of baggage claim. Was it because it could not receive anything between the gate in another terminal and the baggage claim area?
Depends on how automated is the unloading area. Remember, the AirTag reports it's location to a nearby iPhone, that then reports it's location to the FindMy network. So if it's highly automated, the AirTag may go a long way with iPhone contact.
 

Ingster

macrumors 6502
Apr 2, 2007
457
136
Leeds, UK
4 cases all with airtags in, noted that the bags were with us on the tarmac b efore the flight and whilst waiting at baggage claim they were in the same area as me, with recent issues with bags being lost that made me sigh with relief that they were still where they were supposed to be!
 
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