Passport, money, airtag? Why luggage woes are back

After returning to New York from Oslo in late May, Harley Hendrix noticed her suitcase containing a cherished Alexander McQueen dress had been diverted to Copenhagen. “I didn’t actually love the Chanel dress but did love the Alexander McQueen.” A year after air travel stormed back from pandemic lows, overwhelming the system with airport chaos and luggage pileups, airlines are still struggling to keep up. “There is a huge benefit in complementing the airlines’ tracking data with the Bluetooth tracker information,” said Getnet Taye, senior manager of global baggage operations at the International Air Transport Association, the industry’s main lobbying group. The Dutch airline said it regrets the incident that led to her ruined clothing, and that “every piece of misplaced luggage is one too many.” KLM said it’s closely monitoring technological advancements, though it doesn’t use AirTag technology to track lost luggage because the data can only be shared with the owner of the tracker for privacy reasons. Airlines also want tech firms to better explain to customers that Bluetooth trackers don’t always give up-to-date information — adding to airline costs and creating customer-service headaches, according to IATA’s Taye.