As a follow-up to last month’s iPhone update, United Airlines has announced that its mobile app is fully-integrated with Apple’s new ‘Share Item Location’ feature. This will allow the airline to help customers quickly locate luggage, phones, and laptops that potentially go missing during travel.
United is the first of 15 airlines to use this new Apple software, with other airlines working on their own integrations. These airlines include Delta, Air Canada, and British Airways.
Uniting with Lost Luggage In Record Time
United Airlines sent out a press release Thursday evening to announce that customers can now integrate ‘Share Item Location’ for Apple AirTag with the United mobile app.
With this feature, United customers will be able to monitor the whereabouts of tracked devices and luggage right from the United smartphone app. According to the press release, the app will now ‘drive a much-improved customer service experience’ for customers who may not realize their bags will arrive on a later flight.
‘Share Item Location’ is available on iPhone with iOS 18.2. The feature is free and can be toggled on in the phone’s settings app.
Here’s what happens if a customer suspects his or her tracked luggage to go missing:
- The user can open the United app and file a ‘delayed baggage’ claim. Apple will generate a link for you to share with United that will track the luggage in question.
- A United customer support agent will access the link. This will allow the agent to pinpoint the luggage on a map. The map will also update in real time.
- United will work with airports and authorities to find the bag in the area and reunite it with the owner.
Once the issue has been resolved, the link will be deactivated for privacy and security purposes.
United’s Improvements with iPhone
United Airlines Chief Customer Officer David Kinzelman shared his thoughts Thursday. He explained how the new app update gives iPhone owners a peace of mind during travels with United:
“For years, every customer has been able to track the journey of their bag through the United app as it is scanned on and off the plane, and previously, they didn’t have a way to directly share their AirTag information with our baggage team…They can (now) easily and securely share that with us in the United app, and our team can use the location information to find the bag and get it reunited with its owner much more quickly.”
United has continuously integrated updates for iPhone and Apple Watch to improve customer experience. The airline touted how it was the first in the US to provide live flight notifications for loved ones. United has also made the bag drop process easier with checking bags. The app eliminates the need to print a label or tag before each flight.
The United Airlines app is free to download on the Apple App store and Google Play Store. While Android phone owners can still get assistance with lost luggage and bag-tracking, there has yet to be a ‘Share My Location’ equivalent feature that United has invested in for Android phones.
