Passengers flying with Aer Lingus can now use location data provided by Apple’s Find My network to help the airline track down lost luggage more quickly.
The airline said passengers will be able to share the location of AirTags or other accessories compatible with Apple’s network easily and privately with customer service agents, speeding up the recovery of delayed bags.
Apple’s Find My network helps owners of Apple devices see and share the location of devices such as the bluetooth-enabled AirTags, iPhones, iPads, Macs, AirPods and Apple Watch. Using the network of more than 1 billion Apple devices globally, the bluetooth technology built into devices can detect missing devices nearby and share their location with their owner. The process is end-to-end encrypted and anonymous, safeguarding the privacy of users.
It then guides owners to their lost devices by pinpointing the location on a map in the Find My app, or playing a sound that can be heard close by.
Now users will be able to share the location of devices used to track luggage with customer service by generating a “Share Item Location” link in the Find My app on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
That link can then be included in the delayed baggage report, and could ultimately help the airline speed up the process. once the lost item is returned to the customer, the location sharing will automatically end. It can also be ended by the customer at any time, or after seven days has elapsed.
“Integrating Apple’s Share Item Location feature allows us to further enhance our baggage recovery processes, offering customers additional peace of mind as they fly,” said Susanne Carberry, Aer Lingus chief customer officer. “While over 99 per cent of checked baggage arrives at its destination without any issue, this feature assists us in the rare instances where a bag is delayed.”
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Ciara O'Brien is an Irish Times business and technology journalist
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