Air New Zealand to offer bag tracking in app as it tries to keep tabs on luggage

Is it here yet? Air New Zealand wants to offer live baggage tracking to passengers. Photo /123RF

Air New Zealand says passengers will soon be able to track their bags at the tap of a button as it turns its attention to one of the most common of bugbears - lost luggage.

The airline says it will soon be trialling “luggage status” on a selection of domestic flights, via the Air New Zealand app.

The beginning of the year was marked by a monumental luggage backlog for the airline. In January the number of passenger complaints regarding lost luggage was near 10,000 emails.

Compounded by an international shortage of ground handlers and flooding and storms in Auckland, the airline was among many trying to keep tabs on passenger luggage.

The trial will be rolled out to 25 per cent of app users travelling domestically followed by a smaller trial on a short-haul flight to Australia.

The updated app’s “flight details” will now display the last recorded status of checked bags.

The airline hopes this will provide some peace of mind to travellers and, at least, maximum warning if there were any issues with their bags.

The airline’s chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar says that the app solution has only recently been possible.

”We are now able to be more adaptable when it comes to creating and adding digital solutions that solve pain points for customers. Baggage tracking is a perfect example of this.”

If the trial is successful, it will be launched to all users by the middle of the year.

Air New Zealand says it will offer baggage tracking via its passenger app.

“Since the challenges earlier this year, the introduction of digital tools has meant we have cleared the baggage backlog and we are now better prepared to deal with any future disruptions that may occur.”

The luggage tracking feature was developed in conjunction with the MPI’s move to a digital, paperless screening system that allows the airline to see when late luggage has cleared bioscreening and Customs, allowing mishandled bags to be reunited with travellers more quickly.

The app will be trialled on both iOS and Android devices.

Tagging luggage: High-tech solution to missing baggage woes

Airlines weren’t the only ones looking for new tech to solve their missing luggage issues.

GPS baggage trackers were some of the most popular travel accessories this summer.

The airline industry was initially slow to adapt to this trend. Some airlines, including Air New Zealand and Lufthansa banned the devices, which fell outside the regulations on lithium batteries in cargo holds.

The ban was overturned in January after updates by international airline guidelines reviewed by ICAO/IATA and the local Civil Aviation Authority, just as missing luggage was piling up.