Lost Luggage finder

spitnsrovers · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 06, 2007 Posts: 3

Having lost all my luggage, thanks to our national airline, I wonder if there isn't a piece of technology a person could put in a suitcase that could make it trackable if it was lost?

I'd envisage a locator type of device that would not be activated UNTIL needed - in event your luggage did not turn up at the airport.

I'm sure the FAA and DOT would not want active beacon tpe locators going off in everyone's suitcase during a flight.

Anyone have any ideas on this? I can't find anything like it on an internet search.

lbendlin · Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 2:38 pm Post subject:

Most locators can technically do what you need. They are basically mobile phones that can be remotely controlled via SMS or GPRS. A SMS message wakes them up and asks them to fix a location and report it back.

Your main problem would be the battery runtime - right now this is limited to a day. Good enough for short trips but not for luggage that is lost over a week etc.
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ernie_kay · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:55 pm Post subject:

Any system that would rely on being activated by an external link would need to poll the GSM (or similar) system. That would mean that the 'phone' would need to be in standby, not off. That being the case, FAA/CAA rules would certainly preclude their use in flight.

AFAIK

Ernie

BrianCollison · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 4:22 pm Post subject:

Hi everyone, there is a luggage tag you can get from the website called "Iwant one of those" which has a barcode which when read wherever it happens to be gives all the information needed to get it back to where it should, which includes your mobile number to send you a text message or e-mail address to send you a message that way, so that you will know where it has ended up, and to tell you it is being redirected back to you, this information is put in earlier for that reason, I have not bought one, but it sounds a good idea.

pcaouolte · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:37 pm Post subject:

I have something similar but cheaper and without the surplus barcode technology. I write my mobile number and email address on a label and tie it to the case. As a backup I put the same information on a slip of paper inside the zipped opening on the front of the case.

Garfish · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 02, 2012 Posts: 5

Great idea Spitnsrovers!

I'd never even thought of tracking my own luggage but I think that's a really good concept. Not that I fly very often but cases seem to be lost at an alarmingly high rate when flying, particularly, or so I've found, with long haul flights.

Nice thread guys n gals! Smile

M8TJT · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:35 pm Post subject:

Garfish · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 02, 2012 Posts: 5

Haha! hadn't even noticed that, fair play I'm not the most observant! Still, to quote David Brent, "A good idea is a good idea forever, yeah?" Smile

Roy124 · Regular Visitor Joined: May 09, 2004 Posts: 162

I know, 9 years on - TILE has devices with battery life at one year or three and they rely on 3rd party blue tooth rather than GPS which might be masked. If course it also needs the 3rd party to have Tile App installed and enabled.

Privateer · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 6:15 pm Post subject:

Hi Roy124,

I don't know how many people have the Tile app installed on their phones. So I don't know how effective the Tile system is.

The OP would probably be better off using Apple AirTag, provided that they have an iPhone.

I concealed an AirTag in the internal plastic trim of my Land Rover when at home. I then switched off the iPhone and drove to my local supermarket. When I was at the back of the store and far enough away so that the AirTag couldn't connect to my iPhone, I switched my iPhone back on.

By the time I switched on my iPhone (5 minutes from walking from Land Rover) the AirTag's location had been updated to the car park of the supermarket. The AirTag had been updated by a stranger's iPhone and not by my own iPhone.

Next time that I go on a plane, my luggage will have an AirTag in it.

Regards,
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