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Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

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Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#131

Post by joecot »

sigwinch28 wrote: post #112
nostrademons wrote: post #76

Note that the reason for airport mode is a courtesy to cell-phone carriers. It's not any air safety issue. Rather, 300-500 cell phones all trying to contact the next cell tower, multiple times per minute, would wreak havoc on cell service. https://www.inverse.com/article/51015-cell-phone-use-on-airp... At one point, when both cell phones and laptops were new, there was perhaps a risk to the airplane's electronics. Mo…

> Note that the reason for airport mode is a courtesy to cell-phone carriers. This doesn’t track. What about trains?

Trains move significantly slower than planes. They're also on the ground, mostly below the towers, while planes are in the air, moving very fast, with multiple towers in line of sight.

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#132

Post by mft_ »

heisenzombie wrote: post #46

“ 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.” On my phone, turning on airplane mode seems to disable the cell and wifi radios (with wifi able to be toggled back on) but Bluetooth defaults to staying on.

Indeed; and there's no problem with half of a plane using Bluetooth headphones during the flight, either.

I don't think this move by Lufthansa has much to do with engineering :)

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#133

Post by scottmcdot »

mccorrinall wrote: post #45
exitb wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’d have to admit to breaking this rule in order to point out any baggage misplacement.

I have an AirTag which turns off during flights and powers itself on after 24h. Hah. Compliance!

How do you get the AirTag to do this?

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#134

Post by [deleted] »

nostrademons wrote: post #76

Note that the reason for airport mode is a courtesy to cell-phone carriers. It's not any air safety issue. Rather, 300-500 cell phones all trying to contact the next cell tower, multiple times per minute, would wreak havoc on cell service. https://www.inverse.com/article/51015-cell-phone-use-on-airp... At one point, when both cell phones and laptops were new, there was perhaps a risk to the airplane's electronics. Mo…

[deleted]

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#135

Post by scandinavian »

sigwinch28 wrote: post #112
nostrademons wrote: post #76

Note that the reason for airport mode is a courtesy to cell-phone carriers. It's not any air safety issue. Rather, 300-500 cell phones all trying to contact the next cell tower, multiple times per minute, would wreak havoc on cell service. https://www.inverse.com/article/51015-cell-phone-use-on-airp... At one point, when both cell phones and laptops were new, there was perhaps a risk to the airplane's electronics. Mo…

> Note that the reason for airport mode is a courtesy to cell-phone carriers. This doesn’t track. What about trains?

It doesn't track in any way. In the airport there's small cells or femtocells by the operators. In the air, the only cells you can reach are the one pointing upwards.

Also, they don't really ask for airplane mode anymore, at least not when I'm flying.

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#136

Post by gnfargbl »

sigwinch28 wrote: post #112
nostrademons wrote: post #76

Note that the reason for airport mode is a courtesy to cell-phone carriers. It's not any air safety issue. Rather, 300-500 cell phones all trying to contact the next cell tower, multiple times per minute, would wreak havoc on cell service. https://www.inverse.com/article/51015-cell-phone-use-on-airp... At one point, when both cell phones and laptops were new, there was perhaps a risk to the airplane's electronics. Mo…

> Note that the reason for airport mode is a courtesy to cell-phone carriers. This doesn’t track. What about trains?

The cell tower network is designed to cope with devices located on the surface of the planet, i.e. where the geometry between the handsets and the tower is roughly two-dimensional.

I am also unconvinced that handsets on aeroplanes are really a problem for the network, but trains aren't the counterexample you're making them out to be.

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#137

Post by tsujamin »

nostrademons wrote: post #76

Note that the reason for airport mode is a courtesy to cell-phone carriers. It's not any air safety issue. Rather, 300-500 cell phones all trying to contact the next cell tower, multiple times per minute, would wreak havoc on cell service. https://www.inverse.com/article/51015-cell-phone-use-on-airp... At one point, when both cell phones and laptops were new, there was perhaps a risk to the airplane's electronics. Mo…

Although there have been some legitimate concerns raised about some 5G bands edging into altitude sensors https://www.icao.int/safety/FSMP/MeetingDocs/FSMP%20WG11/IP/...

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#138

Post by duskwuff »

kylehotchkiss wrote: post #114

Next AirTag software update: when any nearby phones indicate they are in Airplane mode via Bluetooth (which they can do because bluetooth isn't blocked in airplane mode), put all nearby airtags on standby for an hour). Apple can figure out all the nuances. Or they'll add cheap pressure monitors and determine tag is on an airplane. Repeat. Your move, Lufthansa.

"You can't look for your Airpods because someone around you put their phone into airplane mode" seems like a pretty bizarre limitation.

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#139

Post by rconti »

svnpenn wrote: post #120
yreg wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They cannot ban all of us.

yeah, they really can. Flights are a sellers market, they run near empty flights often. Plus less people are using AirTags than you think. Again, I think its a dumb rule. But don't think you are special and can just ignore it forever with no consequences.

I suspect I'm misreading your comment. You say "they run near empty flights often", which is not true based on current load factor data, at least in the US[1]; it's as high as ever.

But you also say "it's a sellers market" which would imply high demand where they can afford to lose a few passengers (which would be true based on basic economics). So I suspect this is what you intended to say, unless I'm really misunderstanding something.

1. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LOADFACTOR

Re: Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage

#140

Post by LtWorf »

Oh Lufthansa… the reason why I stopped carrying more than 1 backpack when taking the plane.

They permanently lost 1 item, among all the other times the luggage would arrive well after me. They reimbursed me a tiny fraction of the lost value.

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