Lufthansa issues ban on activated AirTags

Those who want to fly with Lufthansa with an activated Apple AirTag in their luggage could soon face a problem. The airline wants to ban carrying activated trackers in the luggage.

AirTag ban at Lufthansa

Apple’s AirTags trackers can be quite useful for keeping track of one’s luggage in the chaos of airports or on longer trips, and tracking where suitcases are at any given time. It also makes it easier to find lost luggage.

However, activated AirTags and other trackers, such as the Chipolo ONE Spot, which we were recently able to test, in suitcases are actually not allowed at all, as can be seen from a report from Watson. This in turn refers to a report by Wirtschaftswoche with regard to the airline Lufthansa.

The report states that AirTags in suitcases are to be classified as “Portable Electronic Devices” (PEDs) and are therefore subject to the regulations issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for dangerous goods when transported on aircraft.

A Lufthansa spokeswoman confirmed this to watson. Trackers with a transmitting function, such as AirTags, must be deactivated during the flight if they are transported in checked baggage. The same applies to smartphones, tablets and other devices.

Battery out

So basically, you’ll need to basically take out the battery in the AirTag if you want to carry the tracker on an airplane trip. Watson notes, however, that there’s actually a peculiarity here.

That’s because unlike smartphones, notebooks and more, which use rechargeable (usually lithium-ion) batteries, AirTags rely on a button battery. So the potential for danger is poorly comparable to that of rechargeable batteries.

Whether such trackers have to be deactivated and how to proceed with them is a matter for the respective airlines to decide. According to Watson, Munich Airport has not formulated any clear restrictions in this regard and refers to the regulations of the airlines.

The statement from Berlin Airport is similar. So there is no official ban on activated AirTags. Since the decision lies with the airlines, there is of course chaos: whether you are allowed to check your AirTag in your luggage or not is not clearly regulated. Many international airlines allow the trackers without any problems. Lufthansa, on the other hand, does not.

Before checking in your luggage, you should therefore contact the airline directly to find out how to proceed with the corresponding trackers. If there is a ban and you still have a tracker in your luggage, you risk a fine. Therefore, caution is advised.