German Airline Lufthansa Bans Apple AirTags On Flights

[webfact]

German airline Lufthansa has asked passengers to turn off their Apple AirTag tracking devices before boarding flights.

 

The airline clarified the move was due to the AirTags being 'active devices' which makes them 'dangerous goods' under the carrier's rules.

 

They considered the devices to be similar to laptops and phones, however, unlike other devices, the AirTags cannot be 'switched off'. "Baggage trackers belong to the category of portable electronic devices and are therefore subject to the dangerous goods regulations for carriage in airplanes issued by the International Civil Aviation Organisation," a spokesperson said.

 

"Accordingly, due to their transmission function, the trackers must be used similarly to cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc., during the flight if they are in checked baggage."

 

Full story: https://10play.com.au/theproject/articles/german-airline-lufthansa-bans-apple-airtags-on-flights/tpa221012bexcv?fbclid=IwAR3ZThMmghaTSFsLbokDlD9ZS-FLsp8sfPzJ8vRBY_ppZwXZXStenchzOSc

 

- © Copyright 1oPLAY 2022-10-14

 

[ozfarang]

@webfact, incorrect.

 

The latest from Lufthansa is

 

[robblok]

The whole phone on planes has never really been proven either. I mean do you really think everyone always turns off their phones ? I am pretty sure people forget at times. Havent heard of a single incident because of it.

 

I know safety first but should things like that not be tested if its factual.

[cocoonclub]

27 minutes ago, robblok said:

The whole phone on planes has never really been proven either.
 

Any reliable source confirming that it’s not a risk? 
 

27 minutes ago, robblok said:

I mean do you really think everyone always turns off their phones ?

I don’t know. I don’t see how that’s relevant. 
 

27 minutes ago, robblok said:

Havent heard of a single incident because of it.

But you’re not saying that something poses a risk only when you have heard of an incident, do

you?

[robblok]

2 hours ago, cocoonclub said:

Any reliable source confirming that it’s not a risk? 
 

I don’t know. I don’t see how that’s relevant. 
 

But you’re not saying that something poses a risk only when you have heard of an incident, do

you?

Yes that is exactly what im saying. Millions of people fly.. a percentage of that is sure not to turn of their phones. Do you deny that ?

 

So far no planes have crashed because of it (never been in the news).

 

Is it not a risk.. maybe its a risk but not a big risk at all otherwise we would have seen plane crashes already.

 

Maybe its like the fact you can die from a bee sting.. its a risk.. but minimal.

[grandpa]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Maybe its like the fact you can die from a bee sting.. its a risk.. but minimal.

I believe that bees are banned on aircraft even with a minimal risk ???????????? ????

[Firefan]

I will NOT travel without my pet bee!

[mrfill]

Wasn't that long ago you weren't allowed to have a CD player going as it "might upset the navigation instruments". Utter tosh.

Now, it seems that while you can have a mobile phone happily working in flight, a wee bluetooth tag will send you plummeting into a mountain. Or not.

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

Memo to self.

Achtung! Dump the apples and take bananas.

[Plurals]

Be serious about this topic. Dont forget all those who brought their Airtags into the Bermuda Triangle.

[Letseng]

9 hours ago, robblok said:

The whole phone on planes has never really been proven either. I mean do you really think everyone always turns off their phones ? I am pretty sure people forget at times. Havent heard of a single incident because of it.

 

I know safety first but should things like that not be tested if its factual.

But you can get internet & phone connection on flights for a fee.  What is LHs problem? 

[degrub]

Don’t forget about the recent kerfaffle in the US about implementing 5G cell towers near airports and radio altimeters on existing aircraft that were not properly shielded with the result of the altimeter indicating incorrect height above ground during landing approach.  Some airport locations had 5G cell towers running on reduced power or not allowed and some affected aircraft providing commercial service  to replace affected altimeters. Operation below 10,000 ft. above ground level is generally on radio altimeter while above is on barometric pressure. Airports that required Instrument flight rules to operate or to manage traffic capacity were among the most severely affected. This is still ongoing with completion expected next year before allowing increased transmit power. Most radio altimeters passed the testing, but there were many that did not.
 

so it was/is a real risk to the aircraft.
 

The previous restrictions were due to not being able to test every device with potential to transmit RF and all parts of the aircraft controls that might pick up the signal. So a blanket ban was put in place during the highest risk phases of flight - take off and landing, where the response time to diagnose and correct is the smallest. The other, very real issue for the cell companies was the rapid pace of switching between cell towers as the plane flew overhead. The equipment and network was not designed with this type of service in mind - client moving at 200 mph + versus driving at 80 mph on the road. In short, the cell network could get overloaded.

 

[Scott Tracy]

From the 26 September 2014 EASA has made it possible for airlines to allow passengers to use their PEDs throughout the flight, regardless of whether the device is transmitting or not, i.e. in ‘aeroplane mode’ or not. Of course, it is up to each airline to allow the use of PEDs or not. In order to do this, airlines will have to go through an assessment process, ensuring aircraft are not affected in any way by the transmission of signals from the PEDs.

 

So, slope shoulders from the regulator, down to the airline. 

[Scott Tracy]

The FAA is not considering the use of cell phones for voice communications during flight because Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations currently prohibit any airborne calls using cell phones.

[ozfarang]

6 hours ago, degrub said:

'Operation below 10,000 ft. above ground level is generally on radio altimeter while above is on barometric pressure.'

RA operating range is 0 - 2500 feet.

 

More about the potential 5G interference for RA equiped aircraft and associated issues for aircraft operating in IMC at low level in link below

 

https://www.icao.int/safety/FSMP/MeetingDocs/FSMP WG11/IP/FSMP-WG11-IP08_ICAO Flight Operations Panel and IATA IFALPA 5G problem statement.pdf

[Troy Tempest]

20 hours ago, Firefan said:

I will NOT travel without my pet bee!

But if the plane crashed you might end up with a "Half Bee" and then you could call him Eric!

 

 

 

Edited October 15, 2022 by Troy Tempest

[richard_smith237]

19 hours ago, mrfill said:

Wasn't that long ago you weren't allowed to have a CD player going as it "might upset the navigation instruments". Utter tosh.

Now, it seems that while you can have a mobile phone happily working in flight, a wee bluetooth tag will send you plummeting into a mountain. Or not.

 

It was a dumb face plant by Lufthansa…. The air-tags meet aviation guidelines, they don’t use lithium-ion batteries, they are sealed and use the same battery as a watch…

 

It was an idiotic regulation to put in place, the negative publicity has not helped them. They’ve been forced to do an about turn on their dumb rule !!!

 

… much egg on some faces !