Lufthansa says it's banning flyers from using Apple AirTags to track baggage

German carrier Lufthansa has announced that it is banning its passengers from using Apple AirTags to track their checked luggage.

As flyer traffic spikes to pre-pandemic levels, airports around the world are experiencing chaos. This has led to growing instances of mismanaged or lost baggage.

The lost baggage horror stories have flyers on edge, doing everything they can to ensure that when they land, they know where their luggage is, especially if the airline they travelled with does not.

Amid the chaos, several travellers were able to locate their luggage using Apple AirTags. The device quickly became an air travel go-to.

On Saturday, Lufthansa confirmed they were banning activated Apple AirTags because they are “classified as dangerous and need to be turned off.”

Hi David, Lufthansa is banning activated AirTags from luggage as they are classified as dangerous and need to be turned off./Mony

— Lufthansa (@lufthansa) October 8, 2022

In a follow-up tweet, the airline further explained why AirTags were classified as dangerous.

“According to ICAO [International Civil Aviation Organization] guidelines, baggage trackers are subject to the dangerous goods regulations,” they said, replying to another question on Twitter. “Furthermore, due to their transmission function, the trackers must be deactivated during the flight if they are in checked baggage and cannot be used as a result.”

People were not happy about this, especially since many have complained that they were unable to claim their baggage while flying Lufthansa recently.

That’s bullshit, Lufthansa. ICAO does NOT ban the baggage trackers. You just banned it because you are too embarrassed that there’s tons of lost luggages in office. Get real, Lufthansa.

— GlowEarth ツ (@glowearth) October 10, 2022

Dear @lufthansa, I am still waiting for my suitcase which was lost on a flight from BCN to MUC on July 24. It’s tagged with Apple AirTags. It was brought to Madrid in August. I have been a loyal customer for 40 years, I am a Senator card holder!

— Al Di Meola (@aldimeolamusic) October 10, 2022

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But the airline’s conflicting statements now have everyone confused. Lufthansa told Airways Magazine that they were not banning AirTags, despite saying the opposite on Twitter.

Important: Lufthansa has NOT banned Apple AirTags from luggage/hand luggage, the airline confirms to me.

While airlines have (for a long time) ban rechargeable lithium-ion batteries from luggage, this does not apply to the tiny single-use lithium CR2023 cell that powers AirTag pic.twitter.com/d7APnMYxmd

— Alex Macheras (@AlexInAir) October 9, 2022

They added that there’s a standing ICAO regulation on such devices, but it has “nothing to do with Lufthansa or any other carrier.”

Daily Hive reached out to Lufthansa for further clarification. Here’s what they said:

“The Lufthansa Group has conducted its own risk assessment with the result that tracking devices with very low battery and transmission power in checked luggage do not pose a safety risk. We have never issued a ban on devices like that. It is on the authorities to adapt regulations that right now limit the use of these devices for airline passengers in checked luggage. We are in close contact with the respective institutions to find a solution as quickly as possible.”

Still, the tweets about banning AirTags have not been deleted.