The Lufthansa "ban" on AirTags

As some of you may know, Lufthansa caused massive confusion when it announced that it was banning AirTags and other similar tracking devices in passenger luggage. 

An AirTag is a small tracking device that allows its users to track the last known location of their belongings. This nifty gadget has seen widespread use by travelers from across the globe. Because of its usefulness and popularity, everyone was confused when Lufthansa announced that it was banning the use of tracking devices in passenger luggage.

In a tweet published by Lufthansa’s official Twitter account on October 9, the airline announced that it was banning activated AirTags in check-in luggage because it was classified as a dangerous item. The tweet was a response to a question asked by a concerned individual.

When asked to explain why it was banning AirTags, Lufthansa simply said baggage trackers are covered by the ICAO’s (International Civil Aviation Organization) guidelines on dangerous items. According to the organization, “batteries contained in portable electronic devices should be carried as carry-on baggage.” If a lithium battery-powered device is checked in, the gadget has to be turned off. 

[The ICAO is an attached organization of the United Nations specializing in the research and development of air transport policy. On its website, the organization emphasizes that it is not a regulator.] 

Based on Lufthansa’s statements, it seems that it was only implementing the ICAO’s guidelines. However, in a statement issued to Intego, the organization stated that “although ICAO is a standard setting body, under the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation the regulation of air transport remains a sovereign state responsibility.” Simply said, the ICAO is responsible for creating policies and standards that can be adapted by regulatory bodies.

In addition, the ICAO’s guidelines are silent about a couple of technologies used in AirTags:

• Bluetooth Low Energy - This allows an AirTag to securely transmit its last known location to Apple’s servers. This technology is also found in smartwatches and wireless headphones—items that are allowed in flights.
• CR2032 Lithium Batteries - Commonly found in traditional wrist watches. Apple uses this type of battery in AirTags. 

To further complicate matters, other major airlines didn’t ban the use of AirTags and other similar tracking devices in carry-on or check-in baggage.

Lufthansa clears the air 

On October 11, Lufthansa’s spokesperson said that the airline didn’t issue a ban on devices like AirTags because these gadgets didn’t pose a “safety risk.” In addition, he stated that it was the responsibility of regulatory bodies to come up with the appropriate regulations on the matter. While this statement cleared some of the concerns regarding the ban, it didn’t specify whether AirTags were going to be banned moving forward. Two days after this statement was published, the airline finally put an end to the confusion.

On October 13, Lufthansa published a statement in one of its official Twitter accounts. The tweet  announced that the airline was allowing the use of tracking devices in its flights. The company said that German aviation authorities concurred with its risk assessment that tracking devices do not pose “a safety risk” for passengers and aircraft. 

We hope you learned a lot from today’s article! We’re glad to know that AirTags aren’t prohibited in Lufthansa’s flights!

Stay safe, fellow traveler!