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Apple Announces iOS 18.2's New AirTag Location Sharing Feature Coming to These 15+ Airlines

MacRumors said:


Last week, we reported on a new feature in the Find My app on the iOS 18.2 beta that allows you to temporarily share an AirTag's location with a trusted person, and soon with airlines. Apple today announced the feature, providing more details.

iOS-18-2-Share-Item-Location.jpg

Apple said more than 15 airlines will offer the feature "in the coming months," including Delta, United, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Vueling. More airlines will follow "over time."

United is aiming to implement the feature systemwide in "early 2025," according to a quote the airline provided in Apple's press release.

The feature will be integrated into each airline's customer service process for locating mishandled or delayed baggage, according to Apple. This will make it easier for the airline to help find lost bags with an AirTag attached to them.

iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 can generate a "Share Item Location" link in the Find My app. Anyone they share the link with can then view a website with a location of the item on a map. The website will automatically update with the item's latest known location.

Apple-Share-Item-Location-iPhone-iPad-Mac.jpg

Apple said it worked directly with airlines to put systems in place to "privately and securely" accept the "Share Item Location" links. Access to each link will be "limited to a small number of people," and recipients will be required to "authenticate" to view the link through either their Apple Account or partner email address. The item's location will stop being shared "as soon as a user is reunited with their item," or at any time that the item's owner decides. An item's shared location will automatically expire after seven days.

"The Find My network and AirTag have proven to be a powerful combination for users while traveling, providing invaluable location information when bags have been misplaced or mishandled," said Apple's services chief Eddy Cue. "With Share Item Location, we're excited to give users a new way to easily share this information directly with third parties like airlines, all while protecting their privacy."

In addition to items equipped with an AirTag, the feature also works with third-party accessories and item trackers that support the Find My network.

Apple previously confirmed iOS 18.2 will be released in December, and that means iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2 should also be available then.

Article Link: Apple Announces iOS 18.2's New AirTag Location Sharing Feature Coming to These 15+ AirlinesAre my aging eyes deceiving
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MacRumors said:


Last week, we reported on a new feature in the Find My app on the iOS 18.2 beta that allows you to temporarily share an AirTag's location with a trusted person, and soon with airlines. Apple today announced the feature, providing more details.

iOS-18-2-Share-Item-Location.jpg

Apple said more than 15 airlines will offer the feature "in the coming months," including Delta, United, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Vueling. More airlines will follow "over time."

United is aiming to implement the feature systemwide in "early 2025," according to a quote the airline provided in Apple's press release.

The feature will be integrated into each airline's customer service process for locating mishandled or delayed baggage, according to Apple. This will make it easier for the airline to help find lost bags with an AirTag attached to them.

iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 can generate a "Share Item Location" link in the Find My app. Anyone they share the link with can then view a website with a location of the item on a map. The website will automatically update with the item's latest known location.

Apple-Share-Item-Location-iPhone-iPad-Mac.jpg

Apple said it worked directly with airlines to put systems in place to "privately and securely" accept the "Share Item Location" links. Access to each link will be "limited to a small number of people," and recipients will be required to "authenticate" to view the link through either their Apple Account or partner email address. The item's location will stop being shared "as soon as a user is reunited with their item," or at any time that the item's owner decides. An item's shared location will automatically expire after seven days.

"The Find My network and AirTag have proven to be a powerful combination for users while traveling, providing invaluable location information when bags have been misplaced or mishandled," said Apple's services chief Eddy Cue. "With Share Item Location, we're excited to give users a new way to easily share this information directly with third parties like airlines, all while protecting their privacy."

In addition to items equipped with an AirTag, the feature also works with third-party accessories and item trackers that support the Find My network.

Apple previously confirmed iOS 18.2 will be released in December, and that means iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2 should also be available then.

Article Link: Apple Announces iOS 18.2's New AirTag Location Sharing Feature Coming to These 15+ Airlines
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Are my aging eyes deceiving or is American Airlines not on this list?
 
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adamw said:
Locate my lost luggage quicker... what a novel idea. Will this cut down on luggage theft by airline/airport employees or other thieves?
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no but if the airtag detects that it has been stolen a 24 inch machete blade pops out of the tag and slices the thieves jugular vein acting as a deterrent for others.
 
ourguile said:
Always include mine with my luggage. Haven't had to rely on it yet (thankfully) but I think it's becoming commonplace enough that this move makes sense.
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You don't even have to "rely on it" for if its stolen, but I found it VERY useful for getting your bag from baggage claim, just track it until it says you're 0ft near the luggage, and boom, luggage without having to stare at the thing spin round and round.
 
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This only works if the airlines that are signing up for this are willing to let their staff take the time to follow your AirTag to find your luggage. I suspect this will need to be written into union contracts and the like going forward. The ability to share your AirTag location with, say, Air Canada, doesn't automatically mean the Air Canada employee is going to go look for it.
 
I hope no one working for the Airlines finds a way to use this for nefarious reasons, like stalking someone. Also, the shared location expires after 7 days. It's good that no one's luggage has ever been lost for longer than a week.
 
Glad the sharing can be stopped by the user or just expires after a week. Wouldn't want a permanent link to a tag to get out into the wild
 
Man I am old enough to remember when something like airtags was a wet dream. Dang I even had tiles I love this idea although never have lost stuff flying. Well once in SF SFO but it was next to the carousel and I found it in a minute and got the desk to hand it over. What I like is say you have a card type tag in your wallet (real one not the wallet app) or one in pocket so you could tag yourself OR YOUR KIDS and keep track of them without them having to pack a phone.
 
Canyda said:
This only works if the airlines that are signing up for this are willing to let their staff take the time to follow your AirTag to find your luggage. I suspect this will need to be written into union contracts and the like going forward. The ability to share your AirTag location with, say, Air Canada, doesn't automatically mean the Air Canada employee is going to go look for it.
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If this helps airlines recover luggage more quickly then they should be all over it, if for no reason other than to get the customer reunited with their items and resolve the complaint. It may even save them money and improve customer service with little to no investment on their behalf. This sounds like a win-win for customers and airlines except in the rare circumstance that the AirTag is pinging but it doesn't lead to recovery of the luggage (such as when the AirTag is separated from the bag). I see no downside to offering this service.
 
miguelcoma said:
Next step for Apple: set up temporary "safe zones" for the Notify When Left Behind menu. Example use case: you are staying at a hotel for a weekend, set the hotel location as a temporary safe zone for all of your items until Sunday at 11am when you are planning to check out. That way you won't be getting notifications when you leave the hotel during your stay and all your luggage is obviously in your room.
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Given that Find My & Notify When Left Behind triggers after some distance & time, I'm not sure I'd place my trust in it, certainly don't now. It's ok if you have the ability to go back, at an airport hotel may not be so lucky, although given your example, I'm now thinking is it only me it's crap for?
 
Honestly you'd think existing systems at airports and on planes would be able to track luggage without customers having to buy airtags. I mean, moving people and their luggage is their business.
 
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I have used Airtags for my last few trips. I'm glad Apple (and others) have tags that we can use with our luggage. 👌

It really says something about the airlines though, that we need to buy 3rd party trackers to use their services. They make us check our bags or pay high fees, then they lose the bags, then they can't find them. GREAT!!!! So, we have to buy Airtags to help them, for when they lose our stuff.
 
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very nice!

but lost luggage is why I try as much as possible to only travel with a carry-on and personal bag.

I actually don’t even own a large suitcase LOL but should probably get one. sometimes the airline does make me check the carry-on, but no issues so far luckily.
 
Is it possible to permanently share airtag location details with your nearest and dearest?

I have 4 tags abd it'll be great to share permissions with my wife.
 
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zorinlynx said:
I remember when at least a couple airlines tried to *ban* these; how crazy do they have to be to ban something that helps both the airline and customer locate lost luggage?
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cr2 said:
Are you serious? That is stupid.
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Post-Covid, when many European airlines and airports were struggling to re-hire enough staff, certainly Lufthansa tried initially to ban AirTags in hold luggage, allegedly because of the risk of the battery, they said - they backtracked on that rather quickly after a very large public backlash.

I am very pleased to see Lufthansa and Eurowings (a low-cost carrier, and part of the Lufthansa group) in this list (I am a frequent traveller with both, in and out of Germany).
 
It also depends how many airport employees use iphones. When I was in in Egypt last year my airtag reported its location as my departure airport until it showed up on the arrival airport luggage conveyor.
 
scouser75 said:
Is it possible to permanently share airtag location details with your nearest and dearest?

I have 4 tags abd it'll be great to share permissions with my wife.
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Yes - in “Find My” you can set sharing of any or all AirTags (and also second party AirTag compatible devices) as you wish.
 
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