Virgin Atlantic has introduced a new feature that allows passengers to independently share the location of their AirTag or Find My network accessory, providing a faster and more efficient way for the airline to reunite customers with their delayed luggage.
This innovative functionality is set to improve baggage recovery times, enabling Virgin Atlantic staff to pinpoint the location of delayed bags and return them to passengers more quickly.
How the Share Item Location Feature Works
To use the Share Item Location feature, passengers must first generate a link in the Find My app on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Once a missing bag report is filed, passengers can share the generated link with the airport and baggage tracing teams. This enables Virgin Atlantic staff to access the live location of the bag, helping them track and reunite passengers with their luggage in a timely manner.
Location sharing is fully secure and private—it is end-to-end encrypted and anonymous, meaning no one else, including Apple or Find My Network accessory manufacturers, can view the location. Additionally, location sharing will automatically end when the passenger receives their bag, and they can stop it at any time. The location sharing link also expires after seven days for added security.
Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic, expressed the airline’s commitment to enhancing customer service with this new feature:
“We’re always looking for innovative solutions to ensure our customers enjoy the best possible experience. On the rare occasion, when operational issues or misconnecting flights may require bags to be located, our teams now have this shared source of information, so our customers have peace of mind on our progress.”
Koster further noted that many travelers already use AirTags or Find My network accessories to keep track of their luggage, and this feature allows the airline to leverage that technology to improve baggage handling.
Built on Apple’s Find My Network
The Share Item Location feature is built on the Apple Find My network, a crowdsourced network of over one billion Apple devices. Using Bluetooth wireless technology, the network helps track and locate accessories, including AirTags, providing an accurate location in real time.
Virgin Atlantic’s adoption of this system is part of the airline’s ongoing efforts to make the travel experience smoother and more convenient for its customers. By using crowdsourced technology, the airline can offer a more robust solution to the common problem of delayed luggage, ensuring quicker reunification with passengers.
With this new feature, Virgin Atlantic is taking a significant step toward offering a more seamless travel experience, giving passengers greater peace of mind when their bags are delayed.