Apple Air Tag

[Anniesantiago]

Has anyone put an Apple Air Tag in their luggage so they can find it in case it DOES get lost?

My son's friend's car was stolen and in Portland, Oregon, the police just look at you and shrug about a stolen car.
He posted it was stolen on social media and eventually got it back.
This time he put an Apple Air Tag in it.
A few days later, it was stolen again. No joke.
This time he knew right where to go.
He and a few friends paid a visit, and one of the friends pulled the driver out of the car... someone thought it was a car jacking so this time the police DID show up - only to find the guy was retrieving his own car!

Made me think an apple air tag might be good for putting in luggage.
Did a search - didn't see anything...

 

[trecile]

It's something that people are starting to do. Unfortunately knowing the location of your bag is not the same as being reunited with it!

 

[dougfitz]

My wife bought one recently and has used it on several trips. It is confidence inspiring for her. I wonder about its value beyond that. In the last 22 years of annual overseas travel, she has never had an airline lose her bag, and knowing where the bag is won't necessarily help get it back. It is, however, great entertainment value tracking her bag's progress from the aircraft hold to the baggage carousel.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Yeah. I guess it's pretty useless except to know WHERE your bag is.
Ok. Thanks.

 

[Former member 59618]

My son's friend's car was stolen and in Portland, Oregon, the police just look at you and shrug about a stolen car.

Glad the apple tag worked for him! Currently in Portland and I can confirm the police are meh. I should think it could be beneficial for luggage, though there are growing concerns of women being stalked by men who "plant" AirTags in purses, underneath cars. etc.

 

[henrythedog]

Has anyone put an Apple Air Tag in their luggage so they can find it in case it DOES get lost?

My son's friend's car was stolen and in Portland, Oregon, the police just look at you and shrug about a stolen car.
He posted it was stolen on social media and eventually got it back.
This time he put an Apple Air Tag in it.
A few days later, it was stolen again. No joke.
This time he knew right where to go.
He and a few friends paid a visit, and one of the friends pulled the driver out of the car... someone thought it was a car jacking so this time the police DID show up - only to find the guy was retrieving his own car!

Made me think an apple air tag might be good for putting in luggage.
Did a search - didn't see anything...

Yes, I do. I got a set of 4; so there’s one in my wallet, my bum bag, my rucksack and on Henry the (actual) dog. Not expensive; cost nothing to run and may prove useful.

 

[dick bird]

I beg to differ. Knowing where your bag is can make a huge difference to how quickly you get it back: once your luggage goes astray it can a long time for the airline to track it down and return it to you (believe me, I know this first hand). So seems like a good idea to me.

 

[annmte]

I used it on the couple of times I used pack transfer on the Camino. Was kinda fun and reassuring as I walked to watch it get to my accommodation! The rest of the time I kept it in my crossbody, on the off chance I would leave it somewhere (though thankfully never did) - as that is where my passport and all my valuables usually were.

 

[Salmons]

Has anyone put an Apple Air Tag in their luggage so they can find it in case it DOES get lost?

My son's friend's car was stolen and in Portland, Oregon, the police just look at you and shrug about a stolen car.
He posted it was stolen on social media and eventually got it back.
This time he put an Apple Air Tag in it.
A few days later, it was stolen again. No joke.
This time he knew right where to go.
He and a few friends paid a visit, and one of the friends pulled the driver out of the car... someone thought it was a car jacking so this time the police DID show up - only to find the guy was retrieving his own car!

Made me think an apple air tag might be good for putting in luggage.
Did a search - didn't see anything...

I am using one now. It has helped me locate my bag several times when the bag was left at the municipal albergue instead of my casa rural. Definitely recommend using a air tag in forwarded luggage.

 

[TrvlDad1]

I found one buried deep in the back seat of a rental car; had a hard time finding it, then filed a police report. It was the first time they’d heard of it. Probably somebody forgot to retrieve it after tracking an errant husband/wife/etc.

 

[Jmmmpr]

My husband and I used the air tags to track our bags on our flights from US to Madrid.
We could see our bags when they were on the plane and when they were transferred to another plane.
We’re using the air tags now as we occasionally use a baggage service to transport our backpacks to our various accommodations as we walk the Camino Frances.
We can always track where our backpacks are — so far, so good!

 

[P Steeper]

Has anyone put an Apple Air Tag in their luggage so they can find it in case it DOES get lost?

My son's friend's car was stolen and in Portland, Oregon, the police just look at you and shrug about a stolen car.
He posted it was stolen on social media and eventually got it back.
This time he put an Apple Air Tag in it.
A few days later, it was stolen again. No joke.
This time he knew right where to go.
He and a few friends paid a visit, and one of the friends pulled the driver out of the car... someone thought it was a car jacking so this time the police DID show up - only to find the guy was retrieving his own car!

Made me think an apple air tag might be good for putting in luggage.
Did a search - didn't see anything...

Yes. We have AirTags in all our luggage and my camera bags. I lost a camera in Iceland last year and didn’t have an AirTag attached to the camera. I’m currently working on a project with Small Rig to discreetly attach AirTags to cameras so thieves do not see them immediately. I do not want lose anymore. Samsung Smart Tags are goo alternative for Android uses.
There are some good videos on YouTube showing how well these devices work.

 

[TrvlDad1]

My husband and I used the air tags to track our bags on our flights from US to Madrid.
We could see our bags when they were on the plane and when they were transferred to another plane.
We’re using the air tags now as we occasionally use a baggage service to transport our backpacks to our various accommodations as we walk the Camino Frances.
We can always track where our backpacks are — so far, so good!

Many uses, some legitimate. It’s not unusual to get an alert of one nearby in the airport.

 

[trecile]

I am using one now. It has helped me locate my bag several times when the bag was left at the municipal albergue instead of my casa rural. Definitely recommend using a air tag in forwarded luggage.

Good idea to use one when using luggage transfer service.

 

[urbanmamma]

I used one last year, the Samsung version. And again this year on the Norte. Very helpful. I use Correos to do my transfers and needed it 3 times last year when it was miss delivered on the Frances. This year on the Norte is been perfect and I haven't needed to track it down, it has beat me to my arrival every day.
Buen Camino

 

[BrianLCrabtree]

Has anyone put an Apple Air Tag in their luggage so they can find it in case it DOES get lost?

My son's friend's car was stolen and in Portland, Oregon, the police just look at you and shrug about a stolen car.
He posted it was stolen on social media and eventually got it back.
This time he put an Apple Air Tag in it.
A few days later, it was stolen again. No joke.
This time he knew right where to go.
He and a few friends paid a visit, and one of the friends pulled the driver out of the car... someone thought it was a car jacking so this time the police DID show up - only to find the guy was retrieving his own car!

Made me think an apple air tag might be good for putting in luggage.
Did a search - didn't see anything...

I keep an AirTag in my backpack.

 

[Former member 92300]

I have begun using them at home - on my house/car keys, my work lanyard, my work keys, etc... very useful for knowing in general where your belonging may be. And if you are in "earshot" you can even have it play a sound to find the lost item. I haven't used on on the Camino - but I think my daughter did. I just don't think she had a need to "find" her "lost" item because the only thing she lost on the Camino was her Credential (and luckily she was able to backtrack to get it). Obviously the credential did not have an airtag attached lol.

 

[dougfitz]

I keep an AirTag in my backpack.

Interesting! I keep my backpack on my back. Perhaps when I consider using mochilla taxi, I might reconsider when that might be useful.

 

[Sixwheeler]

Other location tags are available.

 

[BrianLCrabtree]

Interesting! I keep my backpack on my back. Perhaps when I consider using mochilla taxi, I might reconsider when that might be useful.

But sometimes you have to take off the backpack and it's not always at arm's length. Theft, loss or misplacement is unlikely, but has happened.

 

[dougfitz]

But sometimes you have to take off the backpack and it's not always at arm's length. Theft, loss or misplacement is unlikely, but has happened.

Sure. In eleven pilgrimages, I have never had someone volunteer to lighten my load by stealing my pack, nor can I imagine the circumstances where I would lose or misplace the only thing I have to carry from place to place. It is very unlikely that I will walk out of an albergue or bar, and puzzle over why I feel so much more spritely! I think this is a solution looking for a problem.

For those who have found it useful to find a bag sent ahead in pack transport, I would be much more interested in knowing which companies they were using that sent their bags to the wrong location.

 

[Momwiz]

Has anyone put an Apple Air Tag in their luggage so they can find it in case it DOES get lost?

My son's friend's car was stolen and in Portland, Oregon, the police just look at you and shrug about a stolen car.
He posted it was stolen on social media and eventually got it back.
This time he put an Apple Air Tag in it.
A few days later, it was stolen again. No joke.
This time he knew right where to go.
He and a few friends paid a visit, and one of the friends pulled the driver out of the car... someone thought it was a car jacking so this time the police DID show up - only to find the guy was retrieving his own car!

Made me think an apple air tag might be good for putting in luggage.
Did a search - didn't see anything...

Just finished part of the Via de la Plata and ALWAYS knew where my air tagged luggage which was being transported was. I immediately got a notice when and where it was “left behind”. Very comforting!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Other location tags are available.

A comparison:

The search is over: smart trackers from Apple, Samsung, and Tile compared

A golden age of Not Losing Your Stuff is here.

www.theverge.com

 

[wisepilgrim]

AirTags are great for finding and tracking things as long as they are in the custody of someone who has good intentions. Apple has built in certain privacy safeguards which make them somewhat less useful for stolen items. For example, if an item is declared lost for a certain amount of time the AirTag itself will begin to emit a chirping sound which could easily tip off a thief.

That said, they do offer piece of mind. I use the “find my” technology frequently to notify me when I separate certain bits of tech that always travel together… a sure sign that I have left something behind.

For a suitcase it would seem miraculous; airlines simply cannot provide the same level of detail when something goes missing.

 

[Pilgrim9]

This is a good thread and has got me thinking. Thanks, Anniesantiago, for this.

Backpacks:

Unknowingly leaving one's backpack behind is pretty unlikely for those who invariably carry their "annoying fat little brother" on their back every single day, but the risk of forgetting it and leaving it behind would be far higher for those whose circumstances such as knee problems or whatever require them to alternate day-by-day between carrying it and sending it onwards via a luggage forwarding service. The reason is that in the latter case, the walk start-up process is variable instead of being constant. Lack of established routines sets the stage for errors. In that case I can see the benefit of putting an Air Tag or similar inside the backpack. Also, one might plan to carry the pack every day but mid-Camino encounter an unplanned need to start using a luggage forwarding service.

Walking sticks:

I know someone, who shall remain nameless (cough), who, after having stopped for a few minutes and been distracted, walked onwards and indeed felt unusually spritely. 4 km later he, or maybe it was a she, although I doubt it, realized that his/her hands were not holding his/her walking sticks per normal. And I, or I mean that un-named person, really liked them. So he/she walked 4 km back to retrieve them (they were still there) and then walked forwards over that same 4 km stretch of Camino for the third time. And it was not even an interesting part of the Camino. So I might or might not hide a Tag under the hand grip of one of my sticks.

 

[trecile]

I know someone, who shall remain nameless (cough), who, after having stopped for a few minutes and been distracted, walked onwards and indeed felt unusually spritely. 4 km later he, or maybe it was a she, although I doubt it, realized that his/her hands were not holding his/her walking sticks per normal. And I, or I mean that un-named person, really liked them. So he/she walked 4 km back to retrieve them (they were still there) and then walked forwards over that same 4 km stretch of Camino for the third time. And it was not even an interesting part of the Camino. So I might or might not hide a Tag under the hand grip of one of my sticks.

I might know someone who did exactly the same thing!

 

[chinacat]

I might know someone who did exactly the same thing!

And I might know someone who would have left their poles at every single coffee stop, were it not for their walking companion

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I blundered onto this YouTube video giving information about Apple Airtags and I thought it was good enough to share.

YouTube video idv bZEv9Jed02Y

 

[JamesGeier]

I might know someone who did exactly the same thing!

Ha ha ha - I did that! I was with three friends leaving a stop for coffee at Lorca (I think), and after walking about 3 km, realized I did not have my hiking poles. Half-ran / speed-walked back to the bar, and they were there waiting for me. Grabbed the poles, and headed back to meet my friends. At least this stretch of the Camino Frances is more interesting than some.

 

[WGroleau]

Has anyone put an Apple Air Tag in their luggage so they can find it in case it DOES get lost?

I have more than one. Somewhat disappointed.

If I drop my wife off somewhere, and she has one of them in her purse, it takes five minutes before my phone tells me it is no longer with me and was last seen near (wherever). Sometimes the location is VERY wrong (but usually correct).

If someone has one by mistake AND has a phone with Bluetooth and notifications ON, they will be notified. If they have it by thievery, they only need to disable cell data or turn phone off to prevent you from finding them.

Basically, it is not nearly as useful as Apple implies, but it's better than nothing. And better than competing trackers that require paying extra for the device to connect directly to cell towers.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Sometimes the location is VERY wrong (but usually correct).

Possibly because GPS is not working so the location is sought by cell tower triangulation which is not as accurate.

If they have it by thievery, they only need to disable cell data or turn phone off to prevent you from finding them.

As I understand things this is not true. I believe that other people's iphones who are nearby and tracking their own tags will also pick up yours (without their knowledge) and their iphone will pass on location and tag id information to the cloud and that information is passed on to you. Of course the thief could disable the tag or leave it behind or put it in someone's car. That's why you hide it when your stuff is valuable.

 

[pepi]

Has anyone put an Apple Air Tag in their luggage so they can find it in case it DOES get lost?

My son's friend's car was stolen and in Portland, Oregon, the police just look at you and shrug about a stolen car.
He posted it was stolen on social media and eventually got it back.
This time he put an Apple Air Tag in it.
A few days later, it was stolen again. No joke.
This time he knew right where to go.
He and a few friends paid a visit, and one of the friends pulled the driver out of the car... someone thought it was a car jacking so this time the police DID show up - only to find the guy was retrieving his own car!

Made me think an apple air tag might be good for putting in luggage.
Did a search - didn't see anything...

Just arrived in Santiago after a full CF… and yes, I put an AirTag to my mochilla, which I had forwarded along the entire Camino on doctor’s advice. When arriving in Ponferrada, I found that Jacotrans screwed up and located my pack in Villafranca. Allowed me instant reaction and eventual recovery. Very useful!

 

[TrvlDad1]

Maybe a silly question, but are AirTags legal in all European countries?
If so, are there use restrictions as long as it’s on you or your property.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I saw an Airtag video this morning during my YouTube wake-up session that supplies more information about them that I don't recall being presented in this thread. I think it is worth viewing. I suggest clicking on the title superimposed on the picture instead of the arrow so you can access comments. One of the big takeaways from the two is that Airtags are good for finding things that are lost and not as useful for recovering stolen items; a thief can remove the battery easily or toss the Airtag if found. Another takeaway is that if your phone is an iPhone you will eventually get a notice that you are being followed by one planted on you. This also means that if a thief hasn't seen the Airtag you hid on your property and they have an iPhone they see a notice that essentially tells them to look for it. Apparently Apple treats notification of possible stalking as more important than possible recovery of property.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

For bicigrinos, a handlebar bell for hiding an AirTag.

This clever bicycle bell hides an Apple AirTag

It looks like an ordinary cheap bicycles bell.

www.theverge.com

 

[Viva Terlingua]

I find them very useful. When doing the CF this year, I had two of them. One of them hidden in my backpack in case it was stolen, thankfully I never needed it. The second one I had in my suitcase that I was forwarding to Santiago. I knew enough not to check my backpack, but had to check my suitcase as it had my trekking poles in it. Needless to say, the airlines delayed my luggage and I did not want to wait for my suitcase to start my Camino. I had the airlines forward the suitcase to a hotel in Pamplona. It gave me real peace of mind as I was walking to Pamplona to look at my phone and to be able to confirm that my suitcase did indeed make to the hotel. Once I got to Pamplona and retrieved my suitcase (which had my trekking poles and sandals in it), I forwarded the suitcase via Correos to Ivar and was able to confirm that Ivar did indeed receive my suitcase.

Although I carried my backpack everyday, I think the airtag would be extremely helpful if you were having backpack transported.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Although I carried my backpack everyday, I think the airtag would be extremely helpful if you were having backpack transported.

Possibly you could find out hours before before arriving at your albergue that the pack was misdirected. With luck (and the AirTag) you might see that it is at an earlier albergue and you wouldn't have to waste any time getting the delivery service retrieving the pack.

 

[Purple Backpack]

Used them this last trip and it saved some time when our big packs didn't arrive in St Cirq Lapopie. It was raining and the town is on a really steep hill. After a long day of walking and a final slog to the uphill side of town, our bags weren't at the little gite. Tracked them to the municipal storage shed at the other end of town. Down the hill and up again on the slippery cobblestones. Guess the transport guy didn't want to walk up the steep hill in the rain!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I think this was discussed earlier but AirTags and the like aren't all that useful in recovering stolen property if the tag is removed or disabled. So this might help recover a stolen backpack or luggage; put two in, one well hidden and the other more obvious. The obvious one would likely be removed leaving the hidden one to do its magic. I was thinking that it could be hidden by being sewn behind a souvenir patch or flag.

Perhaps the obvious tag could be a broken one saving you some money but it could also be a functional one not registered on your phone but instead on a phone belonging to a family member back home interested in following your whereabouts.

 

[GPeachy]

The tag in the luggage will let you know where it it, but it won't necessarily help you get it back. We had a relative fly to Europe this year. The suitcase was lost. Based on the tag, we knew exactly where it was at all times. We contacted both the airlines and the courier company the airlines sent the luggage to for delivery many, many times per day. The airlines basically washed their hands of it once it was sent to the courier, the courier claimed that the tracking number from the airlines was not valid. After 2 weeks, the luggage had still not been delivered, and she returned back to the US. I think putting it in the backpack being transported or on other items that could easily be left behind would be more useful.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I just saw this article on How-To Geek: Anker Just Made a Better AirTag Than Apple.

It's compatible with Apple's “Find My” network, about 30% cheaper and you can attach it to your key fob without having to buy an accessory attachment. Other good things too.

Anker Just Made a Better AirTag Than Apple

Apple introduced the AirTag in 2021 as a small Bluetooth-powered tag for tracking items for $29. Anker has now introduced a tracker compatible with the same Apple “Find My” network, and it might just be better than Apple’s own AirTag.

www.howtogeek.com

 

[gargar]

Been using Apple Airtags on my Luggage thru out Asia my travels this year in Asia. It's comforting to see my bag on the plane and airport when I arrive.

 

[henrythedog]

When your AirTag battery goes flat - typically after a year - don’t try to replace it with a ‘premium’ battery such as Duracell as it will not work. These tend to be coated with bitrex, to discourage young children from ingesting them. The coating stops them working in AirTags. Use a slightly downmarket battery such as Panasonic (which is the brand supplied originally in AirTags).

 

[Juno]

Just finished part of the Via de la Plata and ALWAYS knew where my air tagged luggage which was being transported was. I immediately got a notice when and where it was “left behind”. Very comforting!

Who did you use for your luggage transfer on the VDLP or did you use an agency? Were they any good? I want to continue from Caceres next year in September but as I have a disc bulge, I can’t carry a heavy rucksack so this would be useful to know. Thanks.

 

[Momwiz]

Who did you use for your luggage transfer on the VDLP or did you use an agency? Were they any good? I want to continue from Caceres next year in September but as I have a disc bulge, I can’t carry a heavy rucksack so this would be useful to know. Thanks.

We went with a tour company and they transferred our luggage for us. You should be able to find an independent luggage transfer company, though. Good luck!

 

[Harland2019]

Under UK regulations, bags with location devices inside are only allowed in the hold if steps have been taken to make sure they don't turn on accidentally and that they are protected enough so they won't be accidentally damaged.

The devices must also be switched off completely, and "not in sleep or hibernation mode".

That final rule means that AirTags and other locating devices are effectively banned from being checked-in on all commercial flights in the UK, as they don't work without being turned on.

 

[Kathar1na]

That final rule means that AirTags and other locating devices are effectively banned from being checked-in on all commercial flights in the UK, as they don't work without being turned on.

I tried to find an official statement about this on the website of the UK Civil Aviation Authority but no luck.

All I found when googling was the fuss about a Lufthansa statement in October 2022 that was retracted shortly afterwards, as well as confirmation from the US Federal Aviation Administration FAA that Apple airtags are allowed in checked luggage. And numerous newspaper articles in the Mirror and similar media plus a recent TikTok video by some guy who all say what you quote.

I’m rather sceptical …

 

[Harland2019]

Whilst you are right to be sceptical as we know that articles e.g. in the Mirror are always factual there does appear to be some truth to the article as batteries e.g. AA or AAA are supposed to be put in hand baggage and not to be placed in the hold baggage.

 

[pepi]

Neither batteries, AA or AAA, are deployed in Apple Tags

 

[Kathar1na]

One of numerous good information sources about Apple AirTags in checked luggage that have been published since October last year: FAA confirms AirTags are allowed in checked bags as Lufthansa backs off purported ban. The title mentions only FAA and Lufthansa but the article addresses the regulatory situation worldwide. Summary: No aviation regulator and no major airline bans Apple AirTags in checked bags and that includes the UK and UK airlines.

 

[Kathar1na]

Whilst you are right to be sceptical as we know that articles e.g. in the Mirror are always factual there does appear to be some truth to the article as batteries e.g. AA or AAA are supposed to be put in hand baggage and not to be placed in the hold baggage.

That is not correct either. From the FAA:

Dry batteries (AA, AAA, C, and D)​

Carry On Bags: Yes​

Checked Bags: Yes​

This entry applies to typical non-lithium dry batteries (alkaline, nickel metal hydride, nickel cadmium, etc.) in the most common sizes: AA, AAA, C, D, button cell, 9-volt, etc.​

​

However, I don’t think we need to discuss this further in detail as the information provided by airlines and airports about what is actually allowed in cabin baggage and in checked baggage is easily accessible elsewhere.

BTW, Apple AirTags use CR2032 "button cell" batteries.

 

[Harland2019]

I accept that you are correct about the information you have found however last year the airline I used told me in their booking info that AA and AAA had to be in hand baggage and not in the hold, can't recall if the CR batteries were mentioned. So agree that rely on the information from the airline/airport as to what is allowed

 

[Harland2019]

To confirm the comment about CR batteries above and having just booked another holiday the information provided shows:-

"Important Safety Information regarding packing Lithium batteries for your forthcoming flight:
Please remember, all power banks, external battery packs, loose or spare batteries including spare laptop batteries and e-cigarettes must be packed in your hand luggage, and not your suitcase. These items must travel with you in the cabin and not in the hold. Please note this does not apply if you are travelling to Mexico, Cuba or Thailand as these countries do not permit e-cigarettes into the country."
Nothing about CR batteries.

 

[Jarrad]

Lost a forwarded bag in Switzerland while hiking the TMB this past summer. Travel insurance did not come close to covering the cost of the clothing and gear lost (didn't help that I made the grievous error of throwing my hearing aids into said pack). I had considered Air Tags before I left the US, dismissed the idea, and now regret it. Next trip will be with Air Tags packed in any and all bags that go with me.

 

[David Tallan]

There was quite the story in the news here in Canada recently about Apple Air Tags and a couple who lost a piece of luggage on the way back from their honeymoon. Actually, they didn't lose the luggage, the airline did. They knew where it was all the time but couldn't get the airline to listen to them. Eventually, the airline reimbursed them for the luggage and told them it had been donated to charity. All this time, they knew which warehouse it was in. Eventually, they went to the warehouse and actually saw it with their own eyes. It was only after a viral social media post that they actually got the luggage back.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I read recently that Google was working on a product like the Air Tag.

 

[grayland]

Interesting! I keep my backpack on my back. Perhaps when I consider using mochilla taxi, I might reconsider when that might be useful.

Good on ya, Doug.
My thoughts exactly.

 

[Anniesantiago]

My sons' luggage was lost on his trip to Puerto Vallarta last week.
Luckily, he had an Apple Air Tag in it and could locate it right away.
I think they're a great idea, myself.

 

[Kasee]

Has anyone put an Apple Air Tag in their luggage so they can find it in case it DOES get lost?

My son's friend's car was stolen and in Portland, Oregon, the police just look at you and shrug about a stolen car.
He posted it was stolen on social media and eventually got it back.
This time he put an Apple Air Tag in it.
A few days later, it was stolen again. No joke.
This time he knew right where to go.
He and a few friends paid a visit, and one of the friends pulled the driver out of the car... someone thought it was a car jacking so this time the police DID show up - only to find the guy was retrieving his own car!

Made me think an apple air tag might be good for putting in luggage.
Did a search - didn't see anything...

We had a suitcase going ahead of us during last summer's Camino Frances. One day, we were checking into our place and found that the transfer service had them to say that our luggage wasn't there at the pickup location so they couldn't deliver it. What no one knew was that a different transfer company had mistakenly picked up our stuff and delivered it to another establishment. If we hadn't had airtags, we would NEVER have found our luggage. Happily, our luggage was at a hotel about ten minutes away, so we walked over and picked it up.

 

[Robo]

Do these tags work on Blue tooth or wifi?
If blue tooth, the range would be limited wouldn't it?

Thinking of getting one.

 

[Viva Terlingua]

Do these tags work on Blue tooth or wifi?
If blue tooth, the range would be limited wouldn't it?

Thinking of getting one.

They work on Bluetooth but rely on any nearby phone to transmit the location back to Apple. If there are no phones nearby, the location is not updated.

 

[Pilgrim9]

Alternate, more-economical product: Eufy Security SmartTrack Link Model Number T87B0011

I have for about four weeks been testing an Apple AirTag and a Eufy Security SmartTrack Link Model Number T87B0011. They have been hidden side-by-side in my car which I frequently must part a block or two or three from my residence.

Both of them work with the Apple "Find My" app.

The Eufy device has been just as effective as the AirTag in helping me find my parked car.

The Find My app usually shows that the Eufy device has updated its location a few minutes more recently that has the AirTag. I speculate that the Eufy's replaceable CR2032 battery, being a few weeks newer than that in the AirTag, has a slightly higher voltage, which might cause the Eufy device to transmit slightly stronger Bluetooth pings, which in turn are captured by a greater number of iPhones in the pockets of passers-by.

The two devices are about the same size and mass as each other.

The Eufy device has a hole for a lanyard. The AirTag has no hole.

The Eufy device has a button which can be used to ring one's iPhone. The AirTag has no button.

The Eufy Security SmartTrack Link Model Number T87B0011 cost me CAD$29.99 on Amazon.ca. I purchased it together with some unrelated merchandise to get free shipping. It is also available at same price direct from the Eufy website, which states that shipping is free. To find it on the Eufy website, use that site's search function.

The AirTag cost me CAD$39.00 with free shipping.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Alternate, more-economical product: Eufy Security SmartTrack Link Model Number T87B0011

Made by Anker which has a good reputation with its chargers snd cables.

Anker Just Made a Better AirTag Than Apple

Apple introduced the AirTag in 2021 as a small Bluetooth-powered tag for tracking items for $29. Anker has now introduced a tracker compatible with the same Apple “Find My” network, and it might just be better than Apple’s own AirTag.

www.howtogeek.com

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Here is a news item that says that an Air Tag detector is being developed that will do a faster job of detecting an Air Tag used for stalking than Apple's method.

AirTag tracker detector warns of stalkers in seconds

A new tracking device that can be attacked to your keychain helps stops stalkers in their tracks by detecting AirTags and other Bluetooth tags instantly.

www.foxnews.com

 

[jlamont808]

Has anyone put an Apple Air Tag in their luggage so they can find it in case it DOES get lost?

My son's friend's car was stolen and in Portland, Oregon, the police just look at you and shrug about a stolen car.
He posted it was stolen on social media and eventually got it back.
This time he put an Apple Air Tag in it.
A few days later, it was stolen again. No joke.
This time he knew right where to go.
He and a few friends paid a visit, and one of the friends pulled the driver out of the car... someone thought it was a car jacking so this time the police DID show up - only to find the guy was retrieving his own car!

Made me think an apple air tag might be good for putting in luggage.
Did a search - didn't see anything...

Yes, but the airlines don't really listen to you. I eventually got my bag and Apple Air Tag returned after five days when returning from Lisbon last year after the Portuguese Camino. At least I got my bag returned from the airlines.

 

[Pilgrim9]

I find it bizarre that although UPS, Fedex, and many other courier companies employ technology that enables them to track the locations of each of the millions of low-value parcels that they process every day - as evidenced by their publicly-accessible online parcel tracking websites - but airlines seemingly cannot reliably track the locations of the passengers' costly luggage that they transport as part of their IMO exorbitant air flight ticket prices. Airlines need to up their game.

 

[MikeJS]

I find it bizarre that although UPS, Fedex, and many other courier companies employ technology that enables them to track the locations of each of the millions of low-value parcels that they process every day - as evidenced by their publicly-accessible online parcel tracking websites - but airlines seemingly cannot reliably track the locations of the passengers' costly luggage that they transport as part of their IMO exorbitant air flight ticket prices. Airlines need to up their game.

Mmmm, I have had more parcels lost by UPS than bags lost by any airline!

 

[WGroleau]

Many uses, some legitimate. It’s not unusual to get an alert of one nearby in the airport.

An AirTag or Tile or similar is better than not having one, but it's no guarantee. You will not necessarily know where it is, but rather where it was the last time it was in bluetooth range of a smartphone that had internet access AND did not have the detection code disabled. If stolen by a thief smart enough, they will detect its presence and remove it/bin it. And, every time I drop my wife off at a store, I'll be five minutes away before my phone tells me her keys are no longer with me. (We paired the tag to my phone before we had a second set of keys.)

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

If stolen by a thief smart enough, they will detect its presence and remove it/bin it.

I gave a suggestion to use two in my post #39 above but I realize that still isn't guaranteed.

 

[Mycroft]

I found one buried deep in the back seat of a rental car; had a hard time finding it, then filed a police report. It was the first time they’d heard of it. Probably somebody forgot to retrieve it after tracking an errant husband/wife/etc.

Curious to know why you were searching for something 'buried deep in the back seat of a rental car.'

 

[TrvlDad1]

Curious to know why you were searching for something 'buried deep in the back seat of a rental car.'

Because I was being tracked. It alerted on my cell phone after I had been driving the car about 15-20 minutes.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

How to find out if an AirTag is tracking you

Apple's tracker is meant to help you find frequently lost items -- not people.

www.zdnet.com

 

[Mycroft]

Because I was being tracked. It alerted on my cell phone after I had been driving the car about 15-20 minutes.

Oh no! Way too creepy. (Although having lost my iPod with All My Life on it a week ago I wish I had a Tag on it!)

 

[Oravasaari]

It's something that people are starting to do. Unfortunately knowing the location of your bag is not the same as being reunited with it!

I carry items of any value on my person at all times, however I will use one on my next trip, mainly for interest. The tags are useful to chase after (track) a recent theft, but are no good after a while since the tag will send an anti-stalking message to the thief (if they have an iPhone) that they are in close proximity to that ”an Airtag” that’s not registered to them, i.e. It is ”travelling” with them, hence tipping off the theft to the existence of a tag inside their most recent theft (your pack)!

 

[@Ditts]

I blundered onto this YouTube video giving information about Apple Airtags and I thought it was good enough to share.

YouTube video idv bZEv9Jed02Y

Good video, told me a couple of things I didn’t know but why on earth would you clip it to the outside of your case, bag , whatever? Easy to steal.
I used them on my Camino and found them really useful. One in my bum bag , one in my rucksack. Just comforting more than anything.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

why on earth would you clip it to the outside of your case, bag , whatever? Easy to steal.

Yep.

I used them on my Camino and found them really useful. One in my bum bag , one in my rucksack.

In post #39 above I mentioned a reason why each bag should get two.

 

[Kathar1na]

In post #39 above I mentioned a reason why each bag should get two.

A thief may notice the existence of the second hidden AirTag because of the "AirTag found moving with you" feature / message.

 

[peregrina2000]

I think this was discussed earlier but AirTags and the like aren't all that useful in recovering stolen property if the tag is removed or disabled.

A friend left her phone on the airplane and realized it only after the plane had re-loaded and flown off. She could see on the airtag that the phone was in the plane. After going through some protocols she did amazingly get someone who actually did a physical inspection - and found the air tag but not the phone.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

A thief may notice the existence of the second hidden AirTag because of the "AirTag found moving with you" feature / message.

I understand. It's not completely foolproof but then thieves aren't necessarily the sharpest knives in the drawer.

 

[chinacat]

A thief may notice the existence of the second hidden AirTag because of the "AirTag found moving with you" feature / message.

Not if you’ve disabled its ‘speaker’ as per another of Rick’s posts (or a link from one of them).
Obviously, nothing’s perfect ..