According to the website Luggage Hero, US airlines lost more than 684,000 pieces of luggage, or seven out of every 1,000 suitcases, in the first quarter of 2022 alone. Suitcase trackers such as Apple’s AirTags, Samsung Smart Tag or Tile Mate (Android) are your weapon to counteract this disaster.
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One in three Canadian travelers has lost at least one piece of luggage (permanently for 6.7% of them), according to a study by Compare the Market Australia last February. Most people get their bags back within 48 hours. But for some, it can extend over several weeks.
Some travelers are told by their carrier that they will soon find their lost suitcase when the AirTag indicates it’s moving somewhere else in the world! Or that your suitcase is in the carrier’s warehouse while the AirTag shows it’s hanging around in a hotel or, worse, accommodation in another city…
How it works?
The principle behind these location devices (trackers) is simple: they use an encrypted Bluetooth signal to nearby devices equipped with this technology. We can therefore, with the dedicated application, quickly locate our lost luggage with our phone, often on a map. Convenient when speaking to a carrier representative.
The AirTag can run for over a year before the battery dies. The Tile Mate’s battery can last three years! These widgets are waterproof.
Loops can be purchased to attach to the suitcase handle or to an inner ring. Avoid leaving it “loose” in your luggage as it may fall to the ground at a random security checkpoint (it happened).
The costs
The AirTag is sold for $39 each and $129 for a set of 4 on Apple’s website. The Tile Mate is $28 ($110 for a 4-pack) and the Smart Tag is $40 on Amazon.
Apple’s AirTag is more efficient than Android products because it uses the Find My Network application, which “works” with an infinitely larger number of devices (about a billion!) and branches to Apple’s iCloud.
Advice
The best way not to lose your luggage is to travel light, ie not to have a suitcase in the hold. Limiting yourself to one carry-on and one handbag seems spartan, but it’s totally doable. Avoid multiplying shoes or the dryer, use easily washable clothes and underwear (made of synthetic fibers), use a reading lamp instead of books, buy liquids (shampoo, perfumes, make-up) at the destination. Check that your suitcase matches the transport company’s template (displayed on their website). Save on checked baggage fees and skip the carousel line.
Keep your prescription medication, passport and electronic devices in the cabin with clothing designed to last 48 hours in the event of lost luggage. Pack an AirTag in your carry-on (people often leave with the wrong suitcase).
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