Live data from Hacker News

Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

onemileatatime.com

21–30 of 629 posts

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#24
post #16

> This is specifically because of the transmission function. Lufthansa claims that the transmission function needs to be turned off during flight when in checked luggage, just as is required for cell phones, laptops, etc. While this is negligible and I can see a lot of people saying "Well who cares it's just one" if you imagine a lot of interference from a lot of baggage with them on a flight.. I haven't tested, but…

I wonder if cargo bays could have a mesh or paint that would act as a faraday cage. I will admit that I suspected at first glance that this was to avoid accountability for luggage that is lost.

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#25
For all the people commenting "How would they know?", AirTags are scannable by NFC readers and identify themselves as an AirTag.

You can test this yourself by downloading the NFC Tools app on your iPhone (or one for Android) and doing a read on the AirTag.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nfc-tools/id1252962749

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#26
post #25

For all the people commenting "How would they know?", AirTags are scannable by NFC readers and identify themselves as an AirTag. You can test this yourself by downloading the NFC Tools app on your iPhone (or one for Android) and doing a read on the AirTag. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nfc-tools/id1252962749

If you stick it in the middle, it’s out of range. Unless you have some super powered scanner perhaps

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#28
post #16

> This is specifically because of the transmission function. Lufthansa claims that the transmission function needs to be turned off during flight when in checked luggage, just as is required for cell phones, laptops, etc. While this is negligible and I can see a lot of people saying "Well who cares it's just one" if you imagine a lot of interference from a lot of baggage with them on a flight.. I haven't tested, but…

>All carriers, switching to airplane mode is a federal requirement on U.S. domestic flights.

How many people do you think actually do this. (I mostly do, when I remember.)

If it's actually a problem, the FAA would be dealing with it other than hoping passengers individually pressed all the right buttons.

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#29
post #8

And how do they intend to enforce this?

At the least this gives them some poor counterargument if someone says they were able to track their lost bag with an Airtag.

"What do you mean, you have an Airtag in your bag? We don't have any guarantees for baggage containing banned materials."

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#30

I would say the push for this is motivated by their crappy customer service.

I agree with this. Mostly because I had a poor experience with one of their gate agents recently. They forced me to check my hand luggage because it was 2kg overweight. They don't uniformly enforce the hand luggage weight limit, their employees get to pick and choose passengers at the gate. The gate agent scoffed at me putting an AirTag in the bag that they were making me check.
Post reply on HN