GENEVA – December 2025 – As millions of travellers prepare for the holiday season, SITA and Apple are celebrating one year of partnership that has delivered tangible improvements to the checked baggage experience. By integrating Apple’s AirTag and Find My Share Item Location technology with SITA WorldTracer®, airlines can now act faster and passengers gain clearer visibility of their luggage during the busiest periods of the year.

Passengers using an Apple AirTag or a Find My network accessory can temporarily and securely share their bag’s location with their airline through SITA WorldTracer®. This direct connection between consumer devices and airline recovery systems has already demonstrated significant results.

SITA reports that while most bags are normally returned, a small percentage previously became ‘truly lost.’ For bags with AirTag or Find My network accessories, the number of truly lost bags fell by 90% when location sharing is enabled. This improvement not only increases the likelihood of passengers being reunited with their baggage but also reduces costly write-offs for airlines.

“This year has shown the power of working together,” said Nicole Hogg, Portfolio Director, Baggage at SITA. “When consumer technology and aviation infrastructure are connected in the right way, the results can be transformative. Travellers feel more confident, airlines make better decisions earlier, and the entire recovery process becomes more predictable. This is exactly the kind of shared innovation that moves the industry forward.”

Airlines using Find My Share Item Location also report a 26% reduction in recovery time for delayed bags, meaning passengers receive their luggage sooner. Adoption continues to grow, with 29 airlines now integrating Apple Find My with WorldTracer® and more expected to join in the coming months.

According to the latest SITA Baggage IT Insights report, global mishandling rates remain low at 6.3 bags per thousand passengers, with 66% of mishandled bags reunited within 48 hours. The SITA-Apple collaboration enhances these results by adding dynamically-updating, passenger-authorised location data, supporting faster decisions and fewer unresolved cases.

This approach proves particularly valuable during holiday peaks, when tight connections, winter weather, and heavy transfer volumes put additional pressure on baggage systems. By combining consumer visibility with airline operations, the collaboration ensures a more connected and predictable experience for travellers when they need it most.

“Airlines everywhere are looking for ways to manage rising passenger volumes without adding complexity. Find My Share Item Location gives airlines a level of clarity that was previously unavailable, helping reduce lost baggage, speed recovery, and support more resilient operations,” added Hogg.

WorldTracer® is deployed at more than 2,800 airports and is used by over 500 airlines and ground handlers worldwide. With the integration of Apple’s Find My Share Item Location, the system now bridges aviation-grade infrastructure with secure consumer technology, delivering a smoother, more reliable baggage experience.

As global travel grows, the first year of enabling Find My Share Item Location in SITA WorldTracer® demonstrates how partnerships can deliver measurable results at scale, benefiting airlines, passengers, and the wider aviation ecosystem.