Airlines have said they will use an innovative travel tracker to help find missing bags.
For some time now, many passengers have been attaching an Apple AirTag to their luggage, just in case their bags go walkabout when travelling.
But now airlines will also be able to use them, after Apple changed privacy settings on the gadget to allow third parties to track items.
This means the data can now be shared with others, and airlines say they will be using the technology to help reunite luggage with owners.
Among the airlines embracing the technology are British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Qantas, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
Apple says airlines will "begin accepting Find My item locations as part of their customer service process for locating mishandled or delayed bags”.
They also stated that "more airlines will be added over time”.
Speaking to ABC News, United Airlines said it "plan[s] to accept Find My item locations in select airports initially, with the goal of introducing the service system-wide in early 2025”.
Other carriers partnering with Apple include Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, and Vueling.
Previously, passengers could track their bags but could not share the live time data with outside parties.
Now all of the airlines who have opted in to partnering with Apple will be able to use GPS data and use the ‘Share Item Location’ link.
These links are generated in the Find My app on a person's iPhone and are used by the carrier's customer service team to see the AirTag location, and then track down where the bag is at that exact moment.
Apple said: "Recipients of a link will be able to view a website that shows a location of the item on an interactive map. The website will automatically update when a new location is available and will show a timestamp of the most recent update."
