AirTags and flying

[Ricebucket]

There are some pieces of misinformation which are driving some aspects of this discussion.

First, Apple has said in separate interviews that the unknown AirTag alert doesn't trigger until you actually get home with one, or reach some other "significant location" based on your previous location data. I've interpreted this to mean other places that you frequent, such as work, a favorite restaurant, etc.

Second, the cargo hold and the passenger cabin are only separated by the floor, which is thin and radio transparent. Passenger aircraft are basically pressure vessels with wings. All the structural strength is attached along the inner wall. So yeah, if we're talking about an A380 you could be out of range just due to physical distance but not much else. But an average 737, I really doubt it.

As for the rest, refer to the conversation regarding Tile. AirTags are really no different, so I fail to see why they would be disallowed.

Automatically determined "significant location" does make sense here... But not sure how it will cover luggage handlers or people who work in the airport.

The range argument doesn't cover all bases. My phone can be off or out of battery on the plane (especially on longer trips). It is also likely not to have a wifi or cellular signal.

 

[parseckadet]

Automatically determined "significant location" does make sense here... But not sure how it will cover luggage handlers or people who work in the airport.

The range argument doesn't cover all bases. My phone can be off or out of battery on the plane (especially on longer trips). It is also likely not to have a wifi or cellular signal.

Well Apple has indicated that the user can mute such notifications. I imagine airport workers would do that pretty quick. As for the range thing, yeah you'll be out of range. But nobody on the plane will be in a location that is significant to them, so they won't get the notice. As for the crew, see my comment about airport workers. Regardless, this scenario everyone keeps trying to paint where half the plane suddenly starts getting flooded with alerts just isn't going to happen.

Let me put it another way. It took the internet about 10 seconds to come up with this scenario. AirTags have been basically ready to go since late 2019 according to FCC filings. Apple probably started working on them well before that. Do you really think that in the last 2+ years nobody at Apple sat down and said "Hey, what about an airplane?"

 

[matrix07]

There's no way to identify a home

A home is not needed to be identified. It's already in everyone's contact book. Anyone who can say "Hey Siri remind me this when I get home" is already having iPhone knowing where your home is.

 

[ukms]

A home is not needed to be identified. It's already in everyone's contact book. Anyone who can say "Hey Siri remind me this when I get home" is already having iPhone knowing where your home is.

Depends where you live ......... It doesn't work in every country it depends on whether Apple Maps will accept the input of an address rather than just setting a pin on your home.

 

[matrix07]

Depends where you live ......... It doesn't work in every country it depends on whether Apple Maps will accept the input of an address rather than just setting a pin on your home.

Didn't know that but I don't live in the US and I have set a pin to be my home address with no problem.

 

[KeithJenner]

First, Apple has said in separate interviews that the unknown AirTag alert doesn't trigger until you actually get home with one, or reach some other "significant location" based on your previous location data. I've interpreted this to mean other places that you frequent, such as work, a favorite restaurant, etc.

Do you have a link to one of these interviews.

Ive seen quite a lot of reference to point and have asked a few times where the original reports came from, but nobody has yet replied.

On the main point of your post, regardless of whether or not you have to go home to get an alert, it wouldn’t be to hard for the system to realise that you are in the air. I’m also assuming that airplane mode would stop your phone registering airtags anyway.

 

[ukms]

Didn't know that but I don't live in the US and I have set a pin to be my home address with no problem.

Here in Dubai there are no postal addresses as such with no post codes or zip codes so any address entered as a contact is just entered manually and although you can set a pin on a map and label it home it’s not the true ‘home’ in the Siri/Apple context …… unless of course someone can tell me otherwise and solve a frustrating problem

 

[matrix07]

Here in Dubai there are no postal addresses as such with no post codes or zip codes so any address entered as a contact is just entered manually and although you can set a pin on a map and label it home it’s not the true ‘home’ in the Siri/Apple context …… unless of course someone can tell me otherwise and solve a frustrating problem

That’s odd. I don’t have this problem. I simply added a pin to my address and select it as my home and done. No fuss.
Check the reminder (created by Siri) and the map is correct.

 

[edk99]

Do you have a link to one of these interviews.

Ive seen quite a lot of reference to point and have asked a few times where the original reports came from, but nobody has yet replied.

On the main point of your post, regardless of whether or not you have to go home to get an alert, it wouldn’t be to hard for the system to realise that you are in the air. I’m also assuming that airplane mode would stop your phone registering airtags anyway.

Some of your questions are answered here

 

[KeithJenner]

Some of your questions are answered here

Great, thanks.

It is interesting how they seem to have gone with it. I think they could have been clearer with the information on the website which doesn’t mention home as being a trigger. If someone is relying on that then they would be surprised to find that someone could have been tracking them for a long time before they became aware.

It also suggests that the method they are going for is that the stalker can find a lot of information (including where you live) and the resolution is that you should be able to identify the person after the event, using the serial number and Apple/the police. Therefore it is potentially acts more as a deterrent due to the risk of being discovered than something which actually stops the stalker achieving their aims.

As someone who is at no risk of being stalked I’m happy that the tag is going to be less hassle during normal usage, but I’m far from convinced how well this actually achieves apples privacy aims.

 

[michaelb5000]

A home is not needed to be identified. It's already in everyone's contact book. Anyone who can say "Hey Siri remind me this when I get home" is already having iPhone knowing where your home is.

Also, in settings under Privacy under Location Services under System Services is Significant Locations, if that is On it may have a Home identified. So I don't have any address info under me as a contact, but it has identified my home under location services.

 

[matrix07]

Also, in settings under Privacy under Location Services under System Services is Significant Locations, if that is On it may have a Home identified. So I don't have any address info under me as a contact, but it has identified my home under location services.

Didn't know that. Good tip! ?

 

[parseckadet]

Here in Dubai there are no postal addresses as such with no post codes or zip codes so any address entered as a contact is just entered manually and although you can set a pin on a map and label it home it’s not the true ‘home’ in the Siri/Apple context …… unless of course someone can tell me otherwise and solve a frustrating problem

He was just using Siri as an example, not as the definitive scenario you seem to have taken from it.

 

[ukms]

He was just using Siri as an example, not as the definitive scenario you seem to have taken from it.

I’m not sure what your point is ?

If I set a pin (rather than a full postal address that I would do in the UK) as my home and ask Siri directions to home or anything relating to home …. It doesn’t recognise my home location from the pin.

if you have a solution I would welcome it

 

[parseckadet]

I’m not sure what your point is ?

If I set a pin (rather than a full postal address that I would do in the UK) as my home and ask Siri directions to home or anything relating to home …. It doesn’t recognise my home location from the pin.

if you have a solution I would welcome it

My point is that just because Siri doesn’t know where your home is doesn’t mean that AirTags won’t consider your home a significant location. As was pointed out earlier in this thread, you can go to Location Services and see what locations your phone considers significant.

As for getting Siri to recognize your home, or setting your address in the contacts app, I don’t understand why this thread has devolved into you expecting everyone else to be your tech support. The vast majority of users here aren’t going to be familiar with the way addresses work in Dubai. If you need help setting these features up you should talk with other iPhone users in your country or contact Apple support.

 

[ukms]

My point is that just because Siri doesn’t know where your home is doesn’t mean that AirTags won’t consider your home a significant location. As was pointed out earlier in this thread, you can go to Location Services and see what locations your phone considers significant.

As for getting Siri to recognize your home, or setting your address in the contacts app, I don’t understand why this thread has devolved into you expecting everyone else to be your tech support. The vast majority of users here aren’t going to be familiar with the way addresses work in Dubai. If you need help setting these features up you should talk with other iPhone users in your country or contact Apple support.

Where have I expected anyone to be my tech support ? …. It was a passing comment if anyone knew about a solution ….. and if you don’t like what I write don’t reply …. if you read the earlier posts you’ll get the context of the pin instead of jumping on half way. … .. The thread has now devolved even more because of you bleating…. I don’t really need you to tell me where to get support …. and Surprise surprise The world doesn’t revolve around the US so posters are at liberty to mention other countries as I did when I started this thread. …..

 

[dukebound85]

Are you sure? I've thought all CR2032 are lithium ?

a lot of people wear watches with these batteries

 

[_Spinn_]

Here is an article about using AirTags on luggage.

Review: using Apple’s AirTag for tracking checked luggage

Could Apple’s AirTags be the hottest travel accessory since noise-cancelling headphones? We headed to the airport to find out.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[ukms]

Here is an article about using AirTags on luggage.

Review: using Apple’s AirTag for tracking checked luggage

Could Apple’s AirTags be the hottest travel accessory since noise-cancelling headphones? We headed to the airport to find out.

www.executivetraveller.com

Interesting article thanks for posting

 

[KeithJenner]

Here is an article about using AirTags on luggage.

Review: using Apple’s AirTag for tracking checked luggage

Could Apple’s AirTags be the hottest travel accessory since noise-cancelling headphones? We headed to the airport to find out.

www.executivetraveller.com

Interesting, and pretty well how I imagined they would work.

Getting an accurate location with the airport was always going to be a struggle because, as the article says, they are moving around a lot.

The main reason I bought some airtags was the part that the article reported worked well. Just checking that they are in the correct airport. Confirmation one way or the other is the difference between hanging around the carousel or heading to the luggage desk. It would have saved me time or worry on a number of occasions.

Also, locating luggage if it has found its way to somewhere other than the carousel could be invaluable. This has only ever happened to me once, but really was a pain at the time, and held us up for quite a while.

Overall very reassuring.