As Canadian airports report an increase in lost or missing baggage claims, a traveler took matters into her own hands and tracked her missing luggage for five days from Toronto to Saint John, New Brunswick using an Apple AirTag tracking device.
Kelly Liang is an avid traveler, her job often taking her to Toronto from her home in Saint John. After hearing about the recent spate of flight delays and cancellations, she decided to pack one of Apple’s Bluetooth trackers in her suitcase for her flight and documented her experience on TikTok, attracting tens of thousands. of views.
“(The AirTag) was originally given to me for Christmas because as an avid golfer I carry everything in my bag and golf clubs cost thousands and thousands of dollars,” he said. she told CTVNews.ca in an interview Thursday.
“I decided to put the tag in my normal luggage for my own peace of mind, and I’m so lucky I did because my luggage didn’t catch the 1.5 hour direct flight. from Toronto to Saint John.”
When Liang arrived in Saint John at the end of June, her luggage had not arrived with her and could not be found at the Saint John airport. She then tracked her luggage for five days on her iPhone.
According to her, the AirTag showed that her bag had not left Toronto Pearson Airport for four days before being flown to Moncton, New Brunswick, on the fifth day and then being driven to the airport. of Saint John.
“So if I hadn’t had the tag, I would have continued to come to the airport every day and annoy the staff, like, ‘did my bag come?’ That was going to be my next step,” she said.
Despite the five-day delay, Liang considers herself lucky because she is a Saint John resident and was able to replenish her items with those she already had at home.
Liang says she was left without several necessities such as her contact lenses, toiletries and clothes, and did not know when or if she would get them back.
“I’m just lucky that I flew home because I obviously have clothes and other items at home…If it was someone on vacation, who doesn’t hadn’t had his luggage… he would have been much worse than me.”
Liang arrived at the Saint John airport to collect her luggage five days later, even before she received notification from the airline that her bag had arrived.
“I received little to no communication from Air Canada during this experience, and requested compensation a week ago, but received no response.”
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority attributes the baggage chaos to flight delays, cancellations, staff shortages and temporary mechanical disruptions to the baggage system. They say a Baggage Service Recovery Task Force has now been set up to review and resolve system failures.
“Everyone has seen these videos – I’ve seen the videos and experienced them – huge piles of bags at different airports that people have to sort through and search through,” said Jennifer Weatherhead, founder of travelandstyle.ca, to CTVNews.ca in a phone interview Tuesday.
“I think right now (trackers are) a sensible option, especially for flying through one of those major hubs that have a connecting flight,” she said.
Popular Bluetooth trackers include Apple’s AirTag, Samsung’s SmartTag and Tile, which work through a mobile app to help locate the item being tracked.
All three work through an existing network of Bluetooth devices, functioning as outsourced spokes that ping each other when in the same vicinity to determine the item’s location.
For example, Apple’s AirTag uses other iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices on the Find My network to help track an item.
Trackers may be specific to certain operating systems such as iOS or Android.
The Apple AirTag has raised privacy concerns, with reports from last year showing the tags can be slipped into people’s belongings, such as a purse or car, and used to track people without their knowledge. .
Apple says AirTags have functionality to “protect against unwanted tracking” and share alerts if an unknown tracker may be traveling with you.
Liang says that while she is aware of the AirTag’s potential safety issues, she does not plan to fly in the future without one.
“I’d rather just know for myself that my personal items are safe than have to wait on the phone for three hours or maybe not receive any compensation if my bags are delayed for weeks,” he said. she declared.
Liang’s series of videos sounded like stories being shared across the country about lost baggage headaches and resonated with many passengers in similar situations who turned to using trackers. of luggage.
With files from Michael Lee of CTVNews.ca