Discover how this $49 device saved an Aussie traveller from missing his flight and luggage
- Replies 4
When it comes to travel, we all know the drill: pack your bags, check your itinerary, and make sure you have everything you need for a smooth journey.
However, what happens when things go awry and your luggage decides to take a detour without you?
For one Aussie man, a small investment in technology proved to be a trip (and wallet) saver during his travels in another country.
Bob Marshall and his wife had been using the rideshare company Grab ‘every day’ to navigate the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia throughout their holiday.
However, on the last day, in a twist of fate that could derail any traveller's plans, Bob left one of his bags in the boot of his Grab car.
The realisation hit him just hours before his flight home. ‘On my last day, I left my bag in the boot of my Grab car…I was thinking, “Should I miss my flight? What should I do?”’ he recounted.
The situation looked grim after reaching out to the Grab administration team with no response, and with time running out before his international flight until Bob remembered a crucial detail—he had attached an Apple AirTag to his bag.
This tiny gadget, no bigger than a coin, became his beacon of hope.
With time ticking away, Bob accessed the tracking feature and to his relief, the AirTag provided a precise location for his missing valuables.
‘I immediately found my bag [which was] parked outside a housing complex more than one hour drive away,’ Bob narrated.
Bob's accommodation manager became an unexpected hero in this tale. She ‘packed her children’ into her car and followed the digital trail left by the AirTag.
Eventually, the AirTag stopped moving, and the woman ‘hopped out of her car and searched through markets’ on foot to locate the lost luggage.
She was able to identify the exact car it was in, which was ‘parked among hundreds of others’ in a car park.
‘She was lucky enough to get a ping [on her phone] when she walked past a car…she was able to pin it down by walking away and then coming back,’ Bob said.
‘But she was then walking around asking people, “Do you know who owns this car?”’
She managed to reach the Grab driver by asking pedestrians for help, and was able to recover the bag just in time, returning it to Marshall before his flight.
‘The driver was shocked when his customer was standing at his car saying, I want my bag back,’ Bob recalled with a chuckle.
‘I was happy I had my luggage, but Grab was less than useful…the AirTag was absolutely amazing.’
Bob said he would have missed his flight to find his bag, convinced that it would have been lost for good if he had left the country.
He stated that Grab offered no assistance and that the $49 AirTag was the key to retrieving his luggage.
He now vows to always use one on his bags when travelling.
‘It is a small investment that can save you a lot in the end,’ he stated.
Several travellers have discovered AirTags in their luggage and worried that someone may have placed them there for malicious reasons.
However, as more people opt to use tracking devices on their bags while travelling, the rise in usage could simply result in more ‘innocent scenarios’ and doesn't automatically indicate a cause for alarm.
‘It could have been that someone was inspecting a bag [at the airport] and it came out, and then they misplaced it and put it in the wrong bag. That's the innocent scenario,’ travel expert Quentin Long pointed out.
He thinks it's a ‘fabulously good’ idea for travellers to purchase an AirTag or similar tracking device to monitor their luggage in case it gets lost, as happened with Bob.
While the use of an Apple AirTag saved one Aussie traveller from a major headache by tracking down his lost luggage just in time, it highlights the importance of being proactive when it comes to luggage safety.
However, not all luggage concerns can be solved with technology. In fact, there are several myths surrounding baggage handling that many travellers believe to be true.
To help clear up some confusion, a flight attendant is here to debunk some of the most common luggage misconceptions.
Have you ever used a tracking device while travelling? Do you have any other tips for keeping your luggage safe? Share your stories and advice in the comments below—we'd love to hear how you ensure a stress-free journey!
However, what happens when things go awry and your luggage decides to take a detour without you?
For one Aussie man, a small investment in technology proved to be a trip (and wallet) saver during his travels in another country.
Bob Marshall and his wife had been using the rideshare company Grab ‘every day’ to navigate the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia throughout their holiday.
However, on the last day, in a twist of fate that could derail any traveller's plans, Bob left one of his bags in the boot of his Grab car.
The realisation hit him just hours before his flight home. ‘On my last day, I left my bag in the boot of my Grab car…I was thinking, “Should I miss my flight? What should I do?”’ he recounted.
An Aussie man used an Apple AirTag to track down his lost luggage, saving him from a $500 replacement flight. Credit: CHOICE
The situation looked grim after reaching out to the Grab administration team with no response, and with time running out before his international flight until Bob remembered a crucial detail—he had attached an Apple AirTag to his bag.
This tiny gadget, no bigger than a coin, became his beacon of hope.
With time ticking away, Bob accessed the tracking feature and to his relief, the AirTag provided a precise location for his missing valuables.
‘I immediately found my bag [which was] parked outside a housing complex more than one hour drive away,’ Bob narrated.
Bob's accommodation manager became an unexpected hero in this tale. She ‘packed her children’ into her car and followed the digital trail left by the AirTag.
Eventually, the AirTag stopped moving, and the woman ‘hopped out of her car and searched through markets’ on foot to locate the lost luggage.
She was able to identify the exact car it was in, which was ‘parked among hundreds of others’ in a car park.
‘She was lucky enough to get a ping [on her phone] when she walked past a car…she was able to pin it down by walking away and then coming back,’ Bob said.
‘But she was then walking around asking people, “Do you know who owns this car?”’
She managed to reach the Grab driver by asking pedestrians for help, and was able to recover the bag just in time, returning it to Marshall before his flight.
‘The driver was shocked when his customer was standing at his car saying, I want my bag back,’ Bob recalled with a chuckle.
‘I was happy I had my luggage, but Grab was less than useful…the AirTag was absolutely amazing.’
Bob said he would have missed his flight to find his bag, convinced that it would have been lost for good if he had left the country.
He stated that Grab offered no assistance and that the $49 AirTag was the key to retrieving his luggage.
He now vows to always use one on his bags when travelling.
‘It is a small investment that can save you a lot in the end,’ he stated.
Several travellers have discovered AirTags in their luggage and worried that someone may have placed them there for malicious reasons.
However, as more people opt to use tracking devices on their bags while travelling, the rise in usage could simply result in more ‘innocent scenarios’ and doesn't automatically indicate a cause for alarm.
‘It could have been that someone was inspecting a bag [at the airport] and it came out, and then they misplaced it and put it in the wrong bag. That's the innocent scenario,’ travel expert Quentin Long pointed out.
He thinks it's a ‘fabulously good’ idea for travellers to purchase an AirTag or similar tracking device to monitor their luggage in case it gets lost, as happened with Bob.
While the use of an Apple AirTag saved one Aussie traveller from a major headache by tracking down his lost luggage just in time, it highlights the importance of being proactive when it comes to luggage safety.
However, not all luggage concerns can be solved with technology. In fact, there are several myths surrounding baggage handling that many travellers believe to be true.
To help clear up some confusion, a flight attendant is here to debunk some of the most common luggage misconceptions.
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