Lost bag at the airport? Google’s new feature can share its live location to airlines

Google has introduced a new feature that allows Android users to share the live location of their luggage with airlines, including Air India, to help track lost bags. The update is part of Google’s latest Android feature rollout and works through the company’s Google Find Hub system. Also Read: How to free up storage on your phone

How the luggage tracking feature works

The feature works if your luggage has a compatible tracking tag connected to Google’s Find Hub network. If a bag goes missing during travel, users can open the Find Hub app, choose the item, and use the option to share its location. Also Read: Xiaomi Watch 5 debuts with Wear OS and gesture controls: Price, specs, features

Doing this creates a secure link showing the bag’s live location on a map. That link can then be pasted into the airline’s website or mobile app while filing a lost baggage report.

Once the airline gets the link, its staff can check where the bag is and track its movement. This helps them figure out whether the luggage is still at the airport, sitting in another terminal, or has been sent to a different airport by mistake.

Air India among the supported airlines

Google says more than ten airlines currently support this feature. The list includes Air India, AJet, China Airlines, Saudia Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and carriers from the Lufthansa Group.

For travellers flying from India, Air India’s participation means Android users can directly share luggage location details with the airline when filing a baggage complaint. Google plans to add more airlines to the system in the future.

Privacy and security controls

Google says users remain in control of the shared location data. The generated link automatically expires after seven days, and users can stop sharing the location at any time.

Sharing is also disabled automatically if the phone detects that the luggage has returned to its owner. Google says the location data shared through Find Hub is protected using end-to-end encryption.

Part of a wider Android update

The luggage tracking feature arrives alongside other updates to the Android ecosystem. These include location sharing inside Google Messages, which lets users share their real-time location in chats.

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Google has also extended Find Hub support to Pixel Watches and added a few other tools across Android apps and services as part of the latest software updates.