SITA has integrated Google’s Find Hub “share item location” feature into the global WorldTracer system that airlines use to find and reconcile delayed and mishandled baggage.
WorldTracer, in use by more than 500 airlines and ground handlers across approximately 2,800 airports worldwide, enables secure location sharing from major consumer ecosystems ad supports a more connected and transparent approach to baggage recovery at global scale.
“Airlines are operating in an environment where passengers expect visibility of their baggage at every step of the journey,” said Nicole Hogg, Portfolio Director, Baggage at SITA.
“When a bag is delayed, uncertainty increases compensation costs, customer service pressure, and reputational risk. What we are seeing is a move from manual tracing to clearer, data-supported recovery. When passengers choose to share their bag’s location, airlines gain insight at the moment it matters most. This reflects how baggage recovery is becoming more transparent, more collaborative, and more precise.”
Airlines can view information directly within WorldTracer to support recovery when a passenger chooses to share their bag’s location, changing how carriers approach a delayed bag by adding an additional source of location information to support resolving the delay. SITA says that passenger-authorised location sharing adds an additional source of visibility, helping teams narrow search areas and prioritise cases when a bag does not arrive as expected.
Some of the key details about the process are:
- Fully controlled by the passenger.
- If a bag is delayed, the traveller can generate a secure link in Find Hub and provide it to the airline.
- Sharing can be stopped at any time.
- Links expire automatically.
- Location data is encrypted and only the passenger decides who can access it and for how long.
