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How are they even going to know if there is an airtag in someone's luggage? Are they particularly obvious on an x-ray or is there some kind of specialised detec

How are they even going to know if there is an airtag in someone's luggage? Are they particularly obvious on an x-ray or is there some kind of specialised detector?

OJFord 4y ago
See the comment about non-cynical motives - and then, you can't complain 'well I can see on my tracker app that..' if you're not supposed to have one.
thayne 4y ago
Well, if they are transmitting, at least in theory it would be possible to detect that transmission. Though I would be kind of surprised if they actually put much effort into actually enforcing it.
- SomeBoolshit 4y ago
  But then why is inflight wifi a thing?
  - sokoloff 4y ago
    Under FAA rules (what I’m familiar with, EU/DE/ICAO is probably similar), the air carrier can determine which portable electronic devices to allow. The law (it’s short): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/91.21 https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/91.21 An advisory circular relating to it: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_91.21-1D.pdf https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/... This allows an air carrier to approve anything they’re confident won’t cause an issue but not approve AirTags.
- savoytruffle 4y ago
  If they want to defeat tracking, they can enforce their baggage employees not to bring iPhones to work. Of course eventually on the plane, the luggage will be like ten feet below hundreds of people who might have an iPhone!
savoytruffle 4y ago
It's an interesting question. Maybe it's just scare tactics. The battery that goes in an AirTag is the same as in a lot of wristwatches and I expect it would look like a wristwatch via x-ray. And it is exactly as dangerous as such a thing, which it to say: not.
- reustle 4y ago
  Does security handle airline specific requirements? I’ve flown a lot and don’t think I’ve ever experienced that, but maybe?
- gruez 4y ago
  >The battery that goes in an AirTag is the same as in a lot of wristwatches and I expect it would look like a wristwatch via x-ray. If it's just scare tactics then the similarity to watches is irrelevant. However, if for whatever reason they want to crack down on it, it being similar to wristwatches isn't going to stop them. I suspect most wristwatches are kept with the person rather than in checked luggage, and that if were actually determined they could demand a search of your luggage if they spot anything that remotely looks like an airtag on x-ray.

How are they even going to know if there is an airtag in someone's luggage? Are they particularly obvious on an x-ray or is there some kind of specialised detector?

OJFord 4y ago

See the comment about non-cynical motives - and then, you can't complain 'well I can see on my tracker app that..' if you're not supposed to have one.

thayne 4y ago

Well, if they are transmitting, at least in theory it would be possible to detect that transmission. Though I would be kind of surprised if they actually put much effort into actually enforcing it.

SomeBoolshit 4y ago
But then why is inflight wifi a thing?
- sokoloff 4y ago
  Under FAA rules (what I’m familiar with, EU/DE/ICAO is probably similar), the air carrier can determine which portable electronic devices to allow. The law (it’s short): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/91.21 https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/91.21 An advisory circular relating to it: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_91.21-1D.pdf https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/... This allows an air carrier to approve anything they’re confident won’t cause an issue but not approve AirTags.
savoytruffle 4y ago
If they want to defeat tracking, they can enforce their baggage employees not to bring iPhones to work. Of course eventually on the plane, the luggage will be like ten feet below hundreds of people who might have an iPhone!

savoytruffle 4y ago

It's an interesting question. Maybe it's just scare tactics. The battery that goes in an AirTag is the same as in a lot of wristwatches and I expect it would look like a wristwatch via x-ray. And it is exactly as dangerous as such a thing, which it to say: not.

reustle 4y ago
Does security handle airline specific requirements? I’ve flown a lot and don’t think I’ve ever experienced that, but maybe?
gruez 4y ago
>The battery that goes in an AirTag is the same as in a lot of wristwatches and I expect it would look like a wristwatch via x-ray. If it's just scare tactics then the similarity to watches is irrelevant. However, if for whatever reason they want to crack down on it, it being similar to wristwatches isn't going to stop them. I suspect most wristwatches are kept with the person rather than in checked luggage, and that if were actually determined they could demand a search of your luggage if they spot anything that remotely looks like an airtag on x-ray.