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Lufthansa bans AirTags in checked luggage - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33127459 - Oct 2022 (576 comments)
Lufthansa has not banned AirTags
41–50 of 262 posts
Re: Lufthansa has not banned AirTags
#42Except they have. A Lufthansa spokesperson has clarified the new rules for the German news site watson: https://www.watson.de/leben/urlaub%20&%20freizeit/879935671-... It rougly translate to: The device itself is not banned, but has to be shut off during flight. In practice this would mean that you would have to remove the battery from the airtag, since there is no powerswitch. But I will admit that this seems odd an…
So they banned your cell phone too? Last I recall you can take those on a plane powered off too.
Lithium batteries with you in the cabin have different rules than lithium batteries inside checked luggage.
Also cell phones don't need to be powered off while inside the cabin.
Re: Lufthansa has not banned AirTags
#43Why would an AirTag, or any personal baggage tracker, pose a threat to an airline and make them want to ban it? The benefits to consumers of using these devices are obvious. But it also seems that enabling customers to know where their lost luggage is would benefit the airlines as well. Can anyone thing of a reason (legitimate or not) that airlines would be motivated to prevent this?
Lufthansa had massive problems with lost luggage lately and people started adding airtags to their bags that led to arrests of some folks, so I guess they want to "protect their reputation".
Re: Lufthansa has not banned AirTags
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
I always fly with my car keys (almost always in my carry-on bag) even when I take the train to the airport. Simply because my car keys are on the same keychain as my house keys, and I never leave home for anything without those..
Oops, I am so used to taking a taxi (I don't drive) to the airport that I completely forgot many people actually drive there... Quite an idiot moment.
I never drive to the airport (parking is expensive and the train is cheap), but my car keys stay on my keychain and my keychain travels with me.
Re: Lufthansa has not banned AirTags
#45Except they have. A Lufthansa spokesperson has clarified the new rules for the German news site watson: https://www.watson.de/leben/urlaub%20&%20freizeit/879935671-... It rougly translate to: The device itself is not banned, but has to be shut off during flight. In practice this would mean that you would have to remove the battery from the airtag, since there is no powerswitch. But I will admit that this seems odd an…
That article came out 5 days before the tweet from Ethan Klapper (Senior Aviation Reporter at The Points Guy) [1] referenced in the source article. Lufthansa's latest statement is they are not banned [2].
[1]: https://twitter.com/ethanklapper/status/1578453321546801158 [2]: https://twitter.com/ethanklapper/status/1578571226934611968
Re: Lufthansa has not banned AirTags
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
As far as I understand there is nothing new. Lithium batteries have always been allowed in checked luggage only if they are inside a completely powered off and reasonably protected device, to avoid the risk of fires. This risk doesn't really apply to such small batteries, but the rules are there regardless of the size of the battery.
Is the problem with batteries or lithium batteries? AirTags have non lithium batteries
Stop spreading misinformation:
>[T]he CR2032 battery is a Lithium-manganese dioxide battery (LiMn02). It is composed of a Mn02 cathode and a lithium anode. The device is specified for a 225 milliamp hours (mAh) and typically operates over a temperature range of –20 ºC to +70 ºC.
You will find some alkaline versions available from some vendors, but it's not the norm.
Now there may be a chance that Lufthansa didn't mean to include all types of lithium cells or batteries, but the vague wording doesn't seem to suggest that.
Re: Lufthansa has not banned AirTags
#47Except they have. A Lufthansa spokesperson has clarified the new rules for the German news site watson: https://www.watson.de/leben/urlaub%20&%20freizeit/879935671-... It rougly translate to: The device itself is not banned, but has to be shut off during flight. In practice this would mean that you would have to remove the battery from the airtag, since there is no powerswitch. But I will admit that this seems odd an…
As far as I understand there is nothing new. Lithium batteries have always been allowed in checked luggage only if they are inside a completely powered off and reasonably protected device, to avoid the risk of fires. This risk doesn't really apply to such small batteries, but the rules are there regardless of the size of the battery.
Which is why this isn't about the battery fires. It's about the RF of hundreds of devices.
Re: Lufthansa has not banned AirTags
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
As far as I understand there is nothing new. Lithium batteries have always been allowed in checked luggage only if they are inside a completely powered off and reasonably protected device, to avoid the risk of fires. This risk doesn't really apply to such small batteries, but the rules are there regardless of the size of the battery.
Is the problem with batteries or lithium batteries? AirTags have non lithium batteries
Lithium metal (e.g. coin cells) or Lithium-ion (e.g. smartphones).
Both - when installed in a device - can be transported in checked luggage though: https://www.iata.org/contentassets/05e6d8742b0047259bf3a700b...
IATA actually has a document specifically addressing tracking devices: https://www.iata.org/contentassets/05e6d8742b0047259bf3a700b...
My reading of that document indicates that an AirTag should be fine, as low-powered wireless communication is allowed (page 9, item 3).
Re: Lufthansa has not banned AirTags
#49Sounds like they’re just claiming that enabled AirTags were banned all along, not denying that they’re currently banned.
Re: Lufthansa has not banned AirTags
#50Why would an AirTag, or any personal baggage tracker, pose a threat to an airline and make them want to ban it? The benefits to consumers of using these devices are obvious. But it also seems that enabling customers to know where their lost luggage is would benefit the airlines as well. Can anyone thing of a reason (legitimate or not) that airlines would be motivated to prevent this?
In the average case it changes the balance of power in favor of the customer when there is delayed or missing luggage.