Australian safety watchdog calls for tracker scrutiny as travellers use in baggage

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Australia’s aviation safety watchdog has called for more international scrutiny over the use of baggage trackers as airlines issue confusing information about whether they can be used in checked luggage.

Air New Zealand was the latest airline to tell passengersnot to use the devices in checked luggage due to concerns about the small lithium-ion batteries inside them.

Baggage mountains at London's Heathrow — Baggage mountains at London’s Heathrow Airport earlier this year. (Twitter)

The airline said it would not remove the devices and announced a review into their safety early next year.

The tags link to a users phone and allow them to see where in the world their bag is. (Supplied)

While German air carrier Lufthansa has backflipped on a ban of the small trackers, which link to your phone and allow you to see where your bag is.

But what about in Australia?

There’s currently no regulation that applies to the devices, according to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

A CASA spokesman told 9news.com.au it is currently up to airlines to decide if passengers are allowed to put devices in their suitcases.

“Air tags used to accompany passenger baggage are not clearly covered under existing dangerous goods regulations and further discussion is needed at an international level regarding the radio frequencies these devices transmit in flight,” he said.

“The decision should be made in consultation with a carrier’s engineers and it should consider any radio frequencies the devices emit.”

Both Qantas and Virgin Australia told 9News passengers can use the devices.

Apple's accessory, the AirTag is a small device that helps people keep track of belongings, using Apple's Find My network to locate lost items like keys, wallet, or a bag. — Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority told 9News there’s no regulation which applies to the devices, which have become popular this year after travel chaos saw a rise in lost luggage. (Getty)

Small lithium-ion batteries are allowed in checked baggage, but only if the items using them are turned off.

Luggage trackers cannot be switched off.

CASA has not done any technical assessments on the devices.

American airline safety body, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), allow the devices to be used.

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Australia’s representative on the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) will be part of any reviews on the devices, CASA said.