Last Updated on March 29, 2022 by Md Deloar
Over the last few years, smart luggage has addition heavy popularity among business-travelers, frequent travelers, and other tech-savvy singles.
But recently, few airlines have to begin to ban specific types of smart luggage. The lithium battery that comes with the bag could explode, which is why they’ve reasoned a threat to security.
As a result, a lot of travelers are left confused. They don’t know which smart bag is allowed and which isn’t, and what exactly is thoughtful smart luggage.
In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about smart bag.
Table of Contents
What Is Smart Luggage?
When airlines mention smart luggage, they’re talking about luggage that comes with a built-in battery. Sometimes, smart luggage is also mentioning too as smart bags, smart backpacks, or smart suitcases, but basically it’s the same thing.
Here is the official statement from IATA (International Air Transport Association.)
What Does Smart Luggage Do?
What makes a smart bag so absorbing is that you get unique features that you wouldn’t normally get on regular luggage.
In its simplex signifier, smart luggage is any bag or suitcase that contains high-tech capabilities such as:
Built-in luggage scales
If you are someone who loves stuffing the bags with a keepsake, then this the feature is for you. The built-in digital weighing scales informs the traveler when to remove the extra items in the bag. The digital scales can be easily located inside the suitcase to indicate the perfect weight of the bag. This smart feature lets you head off unneeded charges and surprisal at the luggage counter.
Tracking and alerts
Luggage security is one of the capital concerns of wanderlusts worldwide. Everyone realizes that it is wise never to leave luggage unaccompanied or in the alertness of an unknown single. But what’s wiser is to carry luggage accoutered with progressive lock features such as a GPS tracker. Pairing the smart bag with individual apps enable the anti-theft or proximity features.
Thus, making the travel secure and stress-free. Besides, the so-called companion apps share real-time info to phone about current flight details, the propinquity of the bag in real-time, and much more. One can easily link up via Bluetooth giving the traveler a great option to keep track of holding as well as the flight status.
Anti-theft protection
It is not just enough to have a lock and key to safeguard the priceless of your bag. Hence, smart bag manufacturers bring the anti-theft feature to help travelers travel worry-free. This is enabled via app notification, alerts, and alarm which are treated when the luggage is moved out of range or disconnected.
RFID-blocking compartments
This feature isn’t powered by electricity, most smart bag comes with an RFID-blocking pocket. Nowadays, you can steal data with a simple scanner, which is why any credit cards and phones put into this pocked will not be legible from the outside.
On-the-go battery packs
Smart luggage is a chilly must-have for gadget nomads. This is because it comes with battery packs that let the traveler charge the gadgets on-the-go. Getting headway for these battery packs at the airport is easy as they are TSA-approved.
These packs can be admittance via a USB device and some even come with fast charging support. There is also the option to remove this battery packs from the smart bag. These can be carried along without the need to have the suitcase around at all times.
Airline-compatible
Contrary to popular belief smart luggage is built in compliance with the airline standard. Prepared with removable power banks which can be ejected from an outer slot thus making it conformable to the safety device standard with power banks. Not just this, the smart luggage manufactured is compliant in terms of its hardware, battery, systems, and the luggage size making it super handy.
Accommodating designs
A smart bag makes for not just a great travel supportive but they add to the style quotient too. Smart suitcases can be found in several colors and sizes. Also, being well-made brands offer smart bags with a lifetime warranty. They are available in multiple configurations including the one for kids. The smart bags permit an easy and quick way to eject or remove the batteries. Thus, making for a brooding investment choice for every traveler.
Read Next : Best Waterproof Backpacks
Is Smart Luggage Legal?
Only smart luggage with non-removable batteries is banned. A smart bag with removable batteries are allowed, but the removable battery can only be carried on-board and can’t be checked-in.
This regulation applies to lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries, not regular AA batteries. You’re also limited to 100 Watt-hours on lithium-ion batteries (Most commonly lithium-ion batteries accompany a 3.7V output, which suggests that you’re limited to around 27 000 mAh batteries) and a couple of grams of lithium metal on lithium-metal batteries.
Up to 2017, smart luggage was still new, and no Airline batted an eye fixed on their legality. But in 2015 and 2016 a couple of incidents began to appear with lithium batteries in electronics.
In 2015, a few of the biggest airlines banned hover-boards on airplanes, due to possible links between spontaneous fires and lithium-ion batteries. And in 2016, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) banned Samsung Galaxy 7 phones on all airlines, because they’d a production issue which resulted in spontaneous fires.
This caused a serious shift in airline policies, and now airlines are extra cautious about any built-in lithium batteries, including smart luggage. In 2017, American Airlines illegal all smart luggage with non-removable batteries, which went into effect on 15. January 2018. All the opposite major airlines soon joined the ban, and now smart suitcases with non-removable batteries are basically useless.
Is Smart Luggage with Removable Batteries Always Allowed?
Unluckily, no.
Because the smart luggage ban went into the act recently, few airline employees don’t yet know the ins and outs of the law. Even if the rules state that smart luggage with removable batteries is perfectly fine to use, sometimes the airline employees don’t allow them anyway.
In 2020, the position has cleared drastically. Now, almost airline employees know which smart luggage is allowed and which isn’t.
A-List of Smart Luggage Brands That Are Approved
When the smart luggage ban came into place, all the smart luggage brands took vast losses. In 2018, two of the best popular smart luggage brands BlueSmart and Raden declared that they’re closing.
Away luggage was another smart luggage brand, that had integrated batteries, but they quickly added a choice to make the battery pack removable. you’ll either follow their DIY manual or take your luggage to the closest repair center and fix it free of charge. due to the fast reaction, they pull off to survive, and now are still growing strong. In fact, right now, they’re the best popular smart luggage brand on the market.
In 2020, these smart luggage brands are allowed aboard:
- Away luggage
- G-RO
- Incase
- Planet Traveler
- Modobag
- Genius Pack
- Arlo Skye
- Marlon
- Samsara
Do You need to Check-In Smart Luggage?
Smart luggage doesn’t need to be checked in if it meets the carry-on size and weight requirements.
That said, sometimes the upper compartments of the airplane are full, and your smart carry-on may need to be checked-in. If that’s the case, you’ll need to remove the battery and carry it with you as a private item.
Is Smart Luggage Worth Money?
Yes and no. It depends on your personality and profession.
