Differing opinions on baggage-microchips
Bickering airline organisations on either side of the Atlantic are reportedly holding up plans to introduce baggage tracking systems to end the misery of lost and delayed luggage.
According to a report in The Times, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 270 airlines, wants to introduce the use of microchipped luggage at 10 airports this year – a system it claims will halve the number of “mishandled” bags.
But the US Transportation Security Administration reportedly wants to use a cheaper and less advanced version of the system.
The more advanced chips would be able to be encoded with more information, The Times reports, including the final destination of the bag, and the airport where it will be transferred.
US carriers are reportedly concerned that the chips will cost as much as 20p each.
One US official is quoted as saying: “They want to get the Gettysburg Address on the tag when all we really need is to give it a unique number.”
IATA reportedly countered: “It would be a constraint to global acceptance is the Americans didn’t accept the same technology as everyone else.”
The newspaper reports that airlines will meet on January 17 to discuss a compromise.
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd
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