The new TrakDot knows when airlines lose your luggage -- sort of
Skift Take
Watch tech press go gaga over it, but in real world, complaints on lost baggage are falling in U.S., and battle-hardened business travelers minimize checked in baggage anyway. But this could be a precursor to real-time luggage tracking that airlines will eventually launch themselves, for sure.
TrakDot, which launches at the end of March, aims to make sure your stuff doesn’t get lost. The $50 device, roughly the same size as a deck of cards, pinpoints its location using a GSM chip. Place it in a checked bag, and it sends updates on its whereabouts to your phone. (There’s a one-time activation fee of $9, and annual service fees of $13.)
The same FAA regulations that limit your smartphone use on the plane require TrakDot to automatically go into sleep mode once it hits a set altitude. So don’t expect constant check-ins as the bag makes its way from say, New York to Las Vegas.
Up Next
Hotels
How Data Quality Issues Impact Global Hospitality Operations
There are wide discrepancies in data quality for hotel transactions across global regions, with the largest occurring in Asia-Pacific. Because hotels and agencies need to harness data quality to thrive, they must take a more nuanced regional approach to monitoring potential issues.
Sponsored 
Airlines
IndiGo to Lease Boeing 787 from Norse Atlantic, 'Long-Haul' Operations Start Next Month
IndiGo is surely going ahead with its long-haul, low-cost ambition, and a Boeing 787 might just be the ideal aircraft for the carrier to dip its toes into this market.
Tourism
How Countries Are Competing for India's Next Million Tourists
Indian travelers are traveling across the globe and countries are continuing their efforts to attract tourists. Strategic marketing and improved connectivity will be key to sustaining and expanding this momentum.
Online Travel
Tripadvisor Reshuffles Leadership, Chief Technology Officer Is Leaving: Scoop
Tripadvisor is taking a new look at the businesses in its portfolio, and that has apparently prompted a bunch of executive changes.
Airlines
How Allegiant’s Florida Resort Became a Drain on Its Profits
Allegiant wanted to go into the hotel business with a sprawling resort in southwest Florida. Now, just over a year later, it’s looking to offload the costly hotel.