Air New Zealand has updated its terms of service to ban certain baggage trackers from checked luggage.

The airline's website was recently updated with specific advice on luggage trackers in passengers checked luggage, saying that only models that can be physically "turned off" would be allowed to fly.

"Only battery powered baggage trackers that can be turned off i.e. are not in sleep mode, will be accepted in checked baggage."

This could mean that thousands of devices would not be allowed to fly with the airline.

Some of the most popular baggage trackers, including the Apple AirTag and Tile, do not allow users to switch them off. It is argued turning off the bluetooth GPS trackers before flying would make them redundant.

A recent uptick in luggage mishandling has led bluetooth tracking devices becoming a popular travel accessory. Earlier this year SITA reported that mishandling had jumped 5 per cent and some insurers said lost luggage rates had increased 30 per cent on pre-pandemic levels.

This morning the airline issued further clarification on specific brands of trackers that they would no longer be able to accept in checked luggage.

AirTag and Tile were among the devices Stuff reported that the airline would not be accepting on Air New Zealand flights under ICAO dangerous goods regulations.

The airline says that while there was some allowance for devices with an auto On/Off feature, this did not apply to the Apple branded devices.

"Always check the specifications of the device you want to buy as it may not be accepted by us."

It would be up to passengers to declare whether they were travelling with the devices, but risked having them confiscated.

Lufthansa backtracks on trackers

Air New Zealand isn't the first airline to name AirTags and baggage trackers among their prohibited check in items.

Last month German carrier Lufthansa warned that baggage trackers would be subject to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) dangerous goods regulations for lithium metal batteries.

The airline's customer advice team told passengers it was "banning activated AirTags" from checked luggage.

Batteries with more than 2 grams of lithium and in excess of 100 Wh cannot be taken as checked luggage, according to ICAO. The devices built-in CR2032 batteries came under that definition, according to Lufthansa.

After a week's worth of confusion the airline later backtracked on the decision to ban the trackers following an additional "risk assessment".

"The German Aviation Authorities (Luftfahrtbundesamt) confirmed today, that they share our risk assessment, that tracking devices with very low battery and transmission power in checked luggage do not pose a safety risk. With that these devices are allowed on Lufthansa flights," said the airline on 13 October.

The quick rise in popularity of the luggage tracking devices means that regulation is not consistent across international travel networks.

Aviation group IATA which is the world's largest airline association says that they were pushing towards a more joined up guidance towards luggage trackers.

Euronews reported that IATA had requested the topic be discussed as a matter of urgency with the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel this month.