Apple Airtags Save the Day

[Bassman]

Recently got back from my archery elk hunt and wanted to share my airport experience and how an Apple Airtag saved a potentially disappointing scenario.

I was meeting my hunting partners for a week of elk hunting but was going to be arriving a few days later due to a family obligation. They graciously agreed to hike out and pick me up from the airport.

I was flying Southwest and had checked two bags (pack + bow case). Flight arrived on time and my partner was on his way to the airport; smooth sailing I thought. I head to baggage claim and after waiting for 25 minutes the carousel stops without my bags. I look on my phone to locate my Apple Airtags (which are in each bag) and to my surprise it looks like they are at the gate. I head to luggage service to see if they can locate them and get the “Aw shucks, looks like your bags never made it on the plane. Let's file a report and get your bags on the next flight”. I politely show the representative my phone with the location of my bags and they contact the gate agent to have someone check it out. Luckily, the plane was still boarding and they were able to retrieve the bags (+ a set of golf clubs that someone was looking for) before the plane headed to its next destination. If I did not have the Airtags, I would have easily lost 1.5 days of hunting before everything got sorted and my bags returned.

Long story short: For those that fly for hunts, I’d encourage you to consider using Airtags.

 

[dtrkyman]

I rarely travel with checked bags anymore, but that is a great use of that Tech!

 

[GunsAreFun]

Pretty cool result there.

 

[wyosteve]

I read a few weeks ago that law enforcement in Florida was able to bust a baggage handler that was stealing bags because some of the luggage had 'hidden' air tags. Well worth the small price.

 

[MattB]

Good to hear. I put one in a checked bag recently, and it was reassuring to be able to check my phone before my flight took off and see that my bag had made it on with me.

 

[braydencase7]

Awesome

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[tony]

Always thought these were a gimmick. I'm learning different.
So is there a range on these?

 

[Yarak]

Great tip
Glad everything worked out for you

 

[huntinfool84]

that is awesome! I am flying out at the end of the month and now probably going to buy a couple just for that!

on a side note, I am also flying southwest and have called and gotten no answer. So did they charge you and oversize fee on the bow case?

I was flying Southwest and had checked two bags (pack + bow case).

 

[Norm555]

Good to hear, I'm definitely going to invest in some for the next time I travel. I've had my bow and luggage lost before and it is not a good feeling. Fortunately, they made it the next morning and it was a non-issue for me.

 

[Norm555]

that is awesome! I am flying out at the end of the month and now probably going to buy a couple just for that!

on a side note, I am also flying southwest and have called and gotten no answer. So did they charge you and oversize fee on the bow case?

I flew Southwest a few weeks ago and was charged the $75 oversize bag fee for my double bow SKB case on my way to MT, but they didn't charge me on my flight back from Bozeman. Think it just depends on the gate agent and how they're feeling that day.

 

[bojangles808]

great tip

 

[Cj0n3s12]

Very smart idea.. Thanks for sharing. Saw another member ask and am curious too... is there a distance on these or just anywhere your phone and tag can get service?

 

[bojangles808]

I flew Southwest a few weeks ago and was charged the $75 oversize bag fee for my double bow SKB case on my way to MT, but they didn't charge me on my flight back from Bozeman. Think it just depends on the gate agent and how they're feeling that day.

bummer they charged you but dont think you should have been charged unless you were over 50 lbs for a bow case bc its classified as sports equpment. don;t think your case was over the l x w x h requirements either. have flown bow and gun cases on SW without an charges before

 

[Bassman]

that is awesome! I am flying out at the end of the month and now probably going to buy a couple just for that!

on a side note, I am also flying southwest and have called and gotten no answer. So did they charge you and oversize fee on the bow case?

I was not charged for oversize for my SKB double bow case. Clocked in at ~45lbs

I've traveled with it many times, on different airlines, and never had an issue.

 

[BBob]

So is there a range on these?

They need to be nearby to an iPhone (any iPhone with find my network enabled not necessarily yours) to be picked up. Apple won’t say how far the range is but I’ve seen tests that say 10-100ft from a phone depending on obstructions. They could literally be hundreds or thousands of miles away and if close enough to any enabled iPhone you’d be able to see where it is.

 

[Bassman]

Always thought these were a gimmick. I'm learning different.
So is there a range on these?

Did a quick google search and it produced the below answer regarding the range. Maybe a GPS tracker is a better solution if you plan to use it in a remote area?

"AirTags do not have a defined range because they work within the range of Apple's Find My network. This means as long as an AirTag is within Bluetooth range of anybody's iPhone (or other Apple device), it can passively communicate with it and then help you locate it. For example, you can locate an AirTag that's hundreds of miles away so long as somebody with an iPhone walks near it."

 

[duckcarver]

Very smart idea.. Thanks for sharing. Saw another member ask and am curious too... is there a distance on these or just anywhere your phone and tag can get service?

@BBob is right. The key is that any iPhone within range anonymously reads and reports the location of the AirTag. So phones in pockets of passengers sitting on the plane, luggage handlers, or thieves as they're driving away provide the network for reporting. I had the same issue on a flight to MT last fall. Sitting on the plane, I could see that my duffle was loaded, but rifle case was still on the luggage cart. It was held back due to weight limitations. Comforting to see it loaded on the next flight to Great Falls later that afternoon.

This summer, we were on a train. Another passenger ran up the aisle of the car to find help as the train pulled out of a station because she couldn't find her bag. She used the AirTag to confirm that it was removed by someone at the last station and could see it moving down the street.

 

[Norm555]

bummer they charged you but dont think you should have been charged unless you were over 50 lbs for a bow case bc its classified as sports equpment. don;t think your case was over the l x w x h requirements either. have flown bow and gun cases on SW without an charges before View attachment 460476

Unfortunately the double bow SKB case exceeds the 62 inches. It's about 80 inches total when you add the exterior dimensions together. I was just under 50 pounds and I told the agent I hadn't been charged before. I don't understand why it should cost more since it's not hard to handle that case.

 

[fwafwow]

Thanks for this post! I also rarely check bags - usually only when I'm on a hunting trip. I'm buying a tag today.

@Norm555 - I know it's a different airline, but I've not been charged extra by Delta for my double SKB case.